14 December 2009

Ochil & South Perthshire MP Gordon Banks has welcomed news that the BBC has built and fully installed a new transmitter in Crieff which will carry the BBC's digital radio services to a further 7,500 people in the Strathearn area.

Mr Banks said - “For several years now certain areas of the Crieff area have had very poor reception for both TV and radio signals and it has been an issue which I have been working on since my election."

"Sadly it has not been an issue which can be resolved quickly and residents will continue to experience difficulties with their signals until the digital switchover arrives in this area."

"In the meantime I have been pressing the BBC to improve signal provision in the Crieff area and at the same time ensure Long Wave services continue as concerns have been raised by constituents that the corporation would cease its Long Wave services."

"I've received an explicit guarantee from the Director General of the BBC Mark Thompson that it has no plans to cease its Long Wave services and that indeed the new transmitter in Crieff will expand digital radio services to a further 7,500 people across the area."