§ Mr. Robert Cookeasked the Postmaster-General if he will now make a statement about the opening of ultra high frequency stations for the British Broadcasting Corporation's second television programme.
§ Mr. BevinsYes. I have already authorised the B.B.C. to provide a UHF station at their Crystal Palace site to transmit their second television programme on 625-lines to the London area. The B.B.C. plan to start regular programme transmissions from this station at the beginning of April, 1964.
I have now approved in principle the building of a further seventeen high-power UHF stations. It is hoped to open the B.B.C. service at the first eight stations by the end of 1965. They will serve—
- The Midlands.
- Lancashire.
- South Yorkshire.
- Central Scotland.
- South Wales.
- Isle of Wight.
- North-East England.
- Northern Ireland.
The remaining nine stations, which it is hoped to open in 1966 or soon afterwards, will serve—
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- The Bristol area.
- Norfolk.
- Anglesey.
- North-East Scotland.
- South-East Kent.
- Nottinghamshire.
- Suffolk.
- North Yorkshire.
- Northamptonshire.
Seven of the seventeen stations will be built at the sites of existing B.B.C. Band I stations: Sutton Coldfield, Wenvoe, Rowridge, Pontop Pike, Divis, Tacolneston and Llanddona. Five stations will be built at or near the sites of existing Band III stations of the I.T.A., who have agreed to play a full part in the planning and development of the UHF network: the stations are Winter Hill, Emley Moor, Black Hill, Durris and Dover. The twelve stations plus the Crystal Palace Station would bring the B.B.C.'s new programme to about 66 per cent. of the population of the United Kingdom. For the remaining five stations (Bristol, Notts., Suffolk, N. Yorkshire and Northants) new sites will need to be found, and it is, therefore, much less certain how soon these stations will be ready. They will raise population coverage to about 75 per cent.