South Lakeland residents given "inferior service" following digital retune

Hundreds of South Lakeland residents have been left with a reduced digital TV service according to local MP Tim Farron, after being instructed yesterday to retune their digital sets or Freeview boxes.

The nationwide instruction was issued to ensure greater access to Channel 5 and to pave the way for High Definition signal. Instead a large number of residents reported that they were no longer able to receive ITV3 and ITV4. In addition, weaker signals have made ITV1 and ITV2 hard for many residents in rural areas to receive. Mr Farron has written to the Chief Executive of Digitial UK, David Scott, to ask when residents can expect to see the restoration of ITV3 and ITV4.

Commenting Mr Farron said:

"I am extremely concerned that as a result of yesterday's retuning that so many residents appear to have ended up with an inferior service.

"In understanding the reasoning for the retune is to ensure greater access to Channel 5, but I fail to see how the abrupt loss of these popular channels can be justified in this context.

"I've written to the Chief Executive of Digital UK to ask when residents in South Lakeland can expect to have ITV3 and ITV4 back on the TV screens."