A temporary 80 metre mast will be built close to the fire-damaged Bilsdale mast to provide TV and radio coverage for further households.
The temporary mast forms phase 2 of the project to restore TV and radio reception, following the completion of phase 1 – restoring access in some areas – this week.
Work on the mast should be complete in time for the August Bank Holiday weekend. The long wait is partly caused by the site being in a conservation area. Mast operator Arqiva confirmed Friday that it had been surveying alternative sites, but the temporary mast will need to be close enough to the existing mast to maintain coverage to a majority of affected households. The company will need permission to erect additional equipment and lay power supplies to the temporary site.
At a height of just 80 metres, the temporary mast falls well short of the 314.6 metres of the original mast. This will restrict coverage in some areas. Further details will be released next week.
TV coverage returns for some
So far, Arqiva has restored coverage from some relays. It has converted the Eston Nab relay site into a full Freeview transmitter to carry six Freeview multiplexes. Reception is possible in parts of Hartlepool, Redcar and Eastern Middlesborough. This means several thousand homes in the Bilsdale coverage area can now receive some TV services.
Work is now ongoing to provide a satellite back-up feed to other relay sites. This is because Freeview relays depend on having line of sight to Bilsdale. The temporary mast’s lower height means relays won’t be able see it. As a result, the relays will become dependant on a satellite back-up.
Meanwhile, access to the original transmitter site and mast remain off-limits. Arqiva confirmed that it hasn’t been able to access the site since the fire on Tuesday 10th August.
We are sorry for the ongoing disruption but are committed to delivering a solution for our broadcast customers and you, their viewers and listeners, as fast as we can. We understand the frustrations of some of you that this process is not quicker, and we expect to be able to provide details next week of which areas should benefit from phase 2.
ARQIVA
Update: On 24th August, Arqiva confirmed the new temporary mast was delayed. This is due to legal issues between the landowner and Arqiva. It is now awaiting a court hearing. This means some households will need to wait longer for services to be restored.