Bilsdale transmitter to be ready by end of spring, Arqiva says

Work on a TV transmitter to replace one destroyed in a fire should be completed by the end of spring, its owners say.

The new Bilsdale transmitter is nearly finished, with the final piece of steel lifted into place on the 984ft (300m) tall structure, owners Arqiva said.

The original one was damaged by a fire in August 2021 leaving about a million people without TV coverage in Teesside, North Yorkshire and County Durham.

The company apologised for "any ongoing disruption".

The fire-hit mast was demolished and a temporary transmitter was erected in September 2021, followed by what was described as a "more resilient" structure in February 2022.

Most people affected have been able to access services through temporary masts and relay stations which have been put in place, but there are still hundreds of residents without any TV signal.

Work is now under way at the site to add broadcast equipment, which will see the temporary system powered down.

Arqiva's chief of operations Adrian Twyning said: "The team continues to work tirelessly, including overnight in the equipment rooms, to restore the full-sized mast as quickly as possible."

He said the structure was now very nearly its full height and when complete the antenna would be installed and then the transmitters would be tested.

The company said the winter months, weather conditions and the mast's remote location had hampered work.

It said work could not not go ahead on the mast "if it cannot be seen from the ground because of fog or low cloud, if ice is present or if the wind speed is too high".

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