COMMUNICATIONS across some of the remotest parts of the Yorkshire Dales are set to take a major step forward into the 21st century with new masts to improve coverage for emergency services.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is being urged to approve plans for two 40-foot high masts in some of the most visually sensitive areas of the park because of the access it will bring for 999 services ,while also potentially improving mobile phone reception for residents and visitors.

Applications for the masts at Keld and at Gunnerside in Upper Swaledale have been made by the Home Office on behalf of the emergency services. The application states: "The proposal will significantly improve on the deficiencies and limitations of the existing Emergency Services Network.

"They are part of the programme intended to provide voice and data reception to areas that previously lacked coverage as well as enabling applications such as sending patient details to a hospital to enable staff to prepare for their arrival, video recording of arrests on a police officers body camera and live streaming to nearby offices.”

Muker Parish Council had originally objected to the type of masts proposed, because as well as being visually intrusive in such remote areas of the park, they would not have fully opened up the possibility of being used to improve mobile phone coverage for the public.

Changes were made to the Gunnerside mast proposal and it will now be a lattice design allowing it to be used by several commercial operators.

Applications for both masts are now being recommended for approval when the park authority meets on June 12.

North Yorkshire County Councillor John Blackie said: “These masts are desperately needed.

"The original concerns were that it was not good enough that Government money was going to be spent on these vital improvements to communications for emergency services, and people living in these deeply rural areas would not benefit.

“The changes open up the possibility for mobile phone operators to really extend the services to where they are needed.”

Cllr Blackie said if the recommendations are approved there would be a campaign to make sure mobile phone operators came forward to ensure the masts are used to improve services for local people.

“This will be a big step forward bringing 21st century communications to the upper dales, but we have had to work very hard to get here,” he added.