Self-imposed deadline to restore full Freeview coverage in areas affected by the Bilsdale transmitter fire has arrived, but transmitter company Arqiva still expects the new mast to go live soon.
The fire, and subsequent demolition of the Bilsdale mast in North Yorkshire in 2021 resulted in disruption to TV and radio reception across County Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire.
Full restoration of TV services to how they were prior to the fire in August 2021 is dependent on a new mast that is sufficiently tall enough to reach over the tops of the North York moors to cover the area previously served by the original mast.
In early 2022, planning documents for a new 300m replacement mast revealed how Arqiva didn’t expect services to be restored until 2023.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited the area, which falls within his Richmond constituency, in November. At the time, Arqiva assured the prime minister that services would be restored this spring.
With the arrival of spring, Arqiva says it is still unable to provide a more precise timeframe. However, it has this week indicated it still expects a spring go-live date for the completion of the new mast.
Limited reception and coverage in the meantime
Temporary masts have allowed some viewers to regain access to all available Freeview services. But others are still limited to a restricted range of channels.
Residents of the affected area have told RXTV that their signal from a temporary site on Bilsdale West Moor varies from day-to-day. This has resulted in temporary loss of signal or picture glitches. The temporary tower is less than a third of the height of the new Bilsdale mast, meaning it’s not tall enough to supply a strong enough signal to everyone.
Other viewers in the area are currently receiving services from temporary or upgraded sites around the sides of the Moors. These were brought into service in the months after the fire to fill gaps in coverage. But most of the temporary sites only carry limited Freeview channels.
When the new Bilsdale mast goes live, viewers receiving a limited service will need to retune their TVs. This will ensure channel lists are updated with all available Freeview channels.
Arqiva statement on the Bilsdale mast project, Project Restore:
Project Restore is a huge undertaking, which, along with the location and nature of the build, means that we can’t provide a more precise timeframe just yet. The new mast – at more than 300 metres tall – will be one of the UK’s tallest structures, and its construction has involved more than 100 workers.
Once the replacement mast has been completed, coverage of local channel Teesside TV will also be boosted. This will allow viewers in the Darlington area to receive additional Freeview channels for the first time.
Marc Thornham