At a cost of �2.9bn, Airwave is one of the most expensive public sector technology projects.

We ended up with members of the public calling in on mobile phones telling us to get our own officers out of trouble

Paul Kelly, Manchester Police Federation Chairman

It is due to be rolled out across England, Wales and Scotland by 2005.

But 11 of the 15 police forces who were due to use the system this year have been told it is not ready because planning disputes over possible health risks have delayed the installation of transmitter masts.

"Local residents have been very strongly objecting to putting up new radio masts," Airwave project director Martha Wooldridge said.

"So there have been lots of planning problems and planning appeals."

Technical hitches

Airwave has also been bedevilled by technical problems: Greater Manchester police had to abandon the scheme because officers lost contact with their control room.

Quite simply it doesn't do what it says on the tin

Lancashire police constable

Greater Manchester Police Federation Chairman Paul Kelly told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We had officers who were involved in violent disorders who were pressing their buttons to transmit, not getting their messages out and we ended up with members of the public calling in on mobile phones telling us to get our own officers out of trouble."

As one Lancashire police constable put it: "Quite simply it doesn't do what it says on the tin."

It now seems that other emergency services are refusing to use Airwave at all.

At least two regional fire brigades have opted for a different version which may not be compatible, and the ambulance service might follow suit.

The aim of Airwave was to bring all the emergency services under one new system.

Faced with the prospect of a split, the project's directors have appealed to the government to intervene.