Protesters in Bradford on Avon are seeing red over Network Rail’s plans to paint a 15m telecom mast dark green following a string of complaints about its location in a beauty spot.

As reported in the Wiltshire Times in March, Network Rail was blasted for putting the mast on the embankment overlooking Barton Farm Country Park, in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The equipment cabin at the foot of the mast has already been covered by graffiti, with pictures and rude messages aimed at Network Rail.

Despite the calls for the mast to be moved, Network Rail wrote to the town council and several groups this week, saying the site is ‘the best available’ and they will not be moving it. Instead they have offered to paint it dark green.

The mast was installed to upgrade the railway communications system, allowing direct communication between train drivers and signallers.

Godfrey Marks, who is on the environment and transport committee of the community area partnership in Bradford, said: “They are not going to move the mast, which we are not happy about and I am dealing with the points in their letter.

“We are not satisfied. We don’t see how the dark green paint is going to deter the graffiti artists.”

Julian Burnell, Network Rail’s radio communication systems manager, claims in the letter: “We sent letters of information to local residents who were likely to be affected by the mast construction.

“If an oversight meant that some relevant members of the local community were not directly informed on this occasion then I must apologise.”

Mr Marks said among people not notified were those living nearby, who can see the mast from their homes.

Malcolm Watt, the Cotswold Conservation Board’s planning officer, met Mr Burnell in April to suggest ideas for the mast, including moving it a few metres down the railway track.

Mr Watt said: “We were concerned and we made some suggestions to improve the situation but it seems like the main proposal to move it is something they are not going to do.

“We are in a difficult position because they have powers to do what they want and if this is their reaction to our suggestions then that is probably as far as we can push them. It is disappointing but it’s all we can do.”