A report into last August’s fire at the Bilsdale transmitter has found better site-specific planning could have restored services more quickly.
The Bilsdale transmitter provided up to 670,000 homes with TV and radio services across Teesside and much of North Yorkshire, with coverage extending from York to Middlesbrough.
The fire damaged the mast so severely that it had to be demolished.
Regulator Ofcom said operator Arqiva had moved quickly to restore services, however there were delays in the installation of temporary equipment, particularly at the main site at Bilsdale in part due to the site’s location within a National Park.
However, Ofcom says better site-specific planning could have pre-empted this. It also criticised for the “initially very general” information issued by Arqiva.
The transmission company has spent over £40 million on restoring services.
Ofcom has ordered broadcast service companies to promptly carry out their internal reviews to ensure lessons are learned from the Bilsdale fire. It says it will monitor the effectiveness of any new initiatives put in place before we considering further regulatory action.
