When I drive home from Parliament there is a high point on the M2, just past Bluewater, where you can see miles and miles of Kent countryside. A first time visitor would be preparing themselves to gasp at the potential beauty of the Garden of England but instead join us regular motorists at gasping at the horrible vista that actually greets us – the large number of pylons transporting electricity to and from the north Kent sub-stations to wherever they are required. They are ghastly and every time I drive into the M2 valley I think whoever allowed our countryside to be overrun with these giant steel statues should hang their head in shame.
I am opposed to any proposal which would see more overhead pylons built through our countryside. In Kent, there are plans to build new high voltage pylons and upgrade existing lines which could see a further prolification of steel and cable. Given we have the technology now to bury cables, which could see huge savings in maintenance costs in the long term, I see no reason why we have to continue with overhead pylons. Where existing electricity routes need upgrading I also think we should remove the pylons and bury the cables. The short term cost will not only be mitigated by the long term financial savings but most of all it will provide a far more aesthetically pleasing response to supplying our electricity.
If we wish to build Jerusalem, In England’s green & pleasant Land we could do worse than start by burying future and existing electricity cables.
