Police warn masts are vital (From Stroud News and Journal)

Police warn masts are vital

A POTENTIAL communications 'black spot' in the Five Valleys could leave people without access to vital emergency services according to the county's police force.

They have warned that if they do not win planning permission for 13 proposed controversial telecom antennae anyone dialling 999 in the future could find themselves stranded.

On Monday, a major publicity campaign was launched to try and convince people that the Airwave system run on Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is safe and will benefit the community.

Gloucestershire Constabulary and BT have decided to hit back after Stroud District Council refused planning permission for eight of 11 proposed sites for TETRA base stations.

A leaflet campaign will target district 50,000 homes and there will be two exhibitions at the Subscription Rooms.

"Failure to secure coverage for Airwave in the Stroud area would cause the police a major operational problem," said Supt Adrian Grimmitt, Stroud divisional commander.

"Airwave will bring significant benefits, such as an unprecedented range of radio reception across the district.

"This would be particularly reassuring for people living in rural areas, as our old radios currently give varying degrees of coverage, particularly in isolated districts."

BT is appealing against three SDC refusals, at Rodborough, Selsley Common and Amberley and public inquiries are expected in January.

But Lynne Edmunds, joint co-ordinator of Mast Action UK, believes BT will lose again.

"Mast Action UK and Residents Against Harmful Radiation welcome these inquiries because we will bring legal and planning representatives," she said. And she criticised the publicity campaign.

"I think they are getting desperate," she added.

She cited scientific evidence which showed radiation around 16Hz caused brain cells to lose more calcium than they should under normal conditions.

Airwave's TETRA system operates at 17.6Hz and Prof Sir William Stewart who highlighted that evidence, said frequencies around 16Hz should be avoided.

So far, SDC has awarded permission for three TETRA masts but turned eight down because of the level of public concern over the potential risks to health.

"I'm not aware of another instance where we have had a series of refusals," said Jason Mann, BT spokesman.

For full story see this week's News & Journal.