Bilsdale mast: Arqiva to help East Durham homes without TV signal

The TV Signal Help Team at Arqiva will tour the area in a customised vehicle providing support and advice to residents.

Last week it was announced that services would be switched to a new, interim, 80-metre mast at Bilsdale which will improve the signal for more than 100,000 people and be more robust in bad weather.

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But an estimated 1,250 households, primarily along the Durham Coast, will fall within a “signal shadow” caused by the location of the new mast and will lose their services next month.

The areas that could be without signal after the interim mast is switched on

Arqiva say they have written to these homes and now needs them to make contact so that, if required, engineers can repoint their aerials free of charge and make sure they receive a TV signal.

Residents reportedly should ring 0800 121 4828 or go here to get in touch with the infrastructure company.

As part of its Project Restore information campaign, a team from Arqiva will be visiting areas across East Durham and parking at several locations to offer help to residents.

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The full list of areas that the TV Signal Help Team vehicle will be visiting are:

• Monday 31/01/22 AM – Hartlepool |Headland car park, TS24 7EN
• Monday 31/01/22 PM – Blackhall | St Joseph Church car park, Blackhall Colliery, TS27 4HE
• Tuesday 01/02/22 AM – Peterlee |Asda car park, Peterlee, SR8 1AR
• Tuesday 01/02/22 PM – Hendon | Tatham Street car park, SR1 2QB
• Wednesday 02/02/22 AM – Horden| Car park on Blackhills Road, Horden, SR8 4TQ
• Wednesday 02/02/22 PM - Easington Colliery | Car park (opposite The Pet Salon), Seaside Road, SR8 3PF
• Thursday 03/02/22 AM – Kelloe |Kelloe & District Workmens Club, Kelloe, DH6 4PD
• Thursday 03/02/22 PM – Ryhope |The Village Green, Ryhope, SR2 0NQ
• Friday 04/02/22 AM - Easington Village | Go Local Village Shop car park, Easington Village, SR8 3AT
• Friday 04/02/22 PM – Seaham |Seaham Hall Beach Car Park, SR7 7AF
• Saturday 05/02/22 AM - Dalton Park | Dalton Park Retail Park, SR7 9HU
• Saturday 05/02/22 PM – Seaham | Asda Car Park, Byron Place Shopping Centre, SR7 7HN

Speaking on the construction of the permanent mast during a media briefing in January, Arqiva said that this would be operational in early spring 2023 – but stressed this would be a “record time” for the size of the structure.

The infrastructure company added that the mast would be one of the “largest construction projects in this part of the world”.

Arqiva CEO Paul Donovan next to the now-demolished Bilsdale mast

The structure is set to be just a few metres shorter than The Shard in London.

Mr Kahn said: “The new mast will be around 303 metres tall and will be one of the largest construction projects in this part of the world.

“It’s quite a substantial engineering project and it is a bespoke tower that we are building for the circumstances given the terrain we are dealing with – but also the specific conditions as well.

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Arqiva say it is working with local suppliers for steel and materials in a hope to have a positive impact on employment and local business.

Mr Khan confirmed to The Northern Echo that there would be no more interim or temporary masts put in place in Bilsdale before the permanent mast is erected.

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