interestrateripoff Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2012755/Street-lights-switched-HALF-Britain.html At least half the county councils across the UK are plunging tens of thousands of streets into darkness to save money.Despite fears of increased accidents and crime, blackouts are being imposed after midnight in residential and rural areas by at least half the county councils across the UK. Cash-strapped town halls are either switching off street lamps or fitting dimmer switches as they try to cut energy bills and meet climate change targets. Anyone actually witnessing this? Certainly 50% of motorway light could be turned off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
council dweller Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2012755/Street-lights-switched-HALF-Britain.html Anyone actually witnessing this? Certainly 50% of motorway light could be turned off. Around here they'll be replacing the lights with brighter white lights and removing some unneeded lights from residential areas. Lights will be dimmed by 20% from 8;00 pm and by 40% from 10pm. All this to happen over the next 5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfp123 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 they should start by turning office lights and computers off at night, big waste of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robo1968 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 they should start by turning office lights and computers off at night, big waste of money. and during the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronyx Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I don't understand why LED's weren't introduced ages ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skomer Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Around here they'll be replacing the lights with brighter white lights and removing some unneeded lights from residential areas. Lights will be dimmed by 20% from 8;00 pm and by 40% from 10pm. All this to happen over the next 5 years. Round where i live Sussex, all lamposts have been replaced and new brighter more energy efficient lighting installed. They switch the lights off at 12pm. I'm not complaining as it reduces light pollution. Supposedly every street light in the county is being replaced as part of some PFI project with Hampshire. So the energy bills will be cut but no doubt the debt burden on the council has been increased somewhat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairies Wear Boots Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I've often wondered about street lights being on during the night. Flying into britain during the night, vast swathes of towns are lit up and it seems really pointless to me. I've often thought that if you want to reduce emissions, there is a great big saving to be had by turning the street lights off. I did realise though that the reason why they didn't turn them off is because when the crime rate goes up, it'll be blamed on the lack of light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rantnrave Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I've often wondered about street lights being on during the night. Flying into britain during the night, vast swathes of towns are lit up and it seems really pointless to me. I've often thought that if you want to reduce emissions, there is a great big saving to be had by turning the street lights off. I did realise though that the reason why they didn't turn them off is because when the crime rate goes up, it'll be blamed on the lack of light. So why not make the street lights triggered by movement after midnight, like a lot of security lights are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairies Wear Boots Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 So why not make the street lights triggered by movement after midnight, like a lot of security lights are? Sounds like a good idea to me. Though it can be annoying if they keep on going on and off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traktion Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Round where i live Sussex, all lamposts have been replaced and new brighter more energy efficient lighting installed. They switch the lights off at 12pm. I'm not complaining as it reduces light pollution. Supposedly every street light in the county is being replaced as part of some PFI project with Hampshire. So the energy bills will be cut but no doubt the debt burden on the council has been increased somewhat I love it when there is a power cut, as you can see the stars clearly. I don't know what the stats are for crime (I suppose we will find out!), but I'm sure we will get by with a few less lights on at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennon Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Not sure if it's just Lambeth being sh*t, but round here they appear to be adopting the approach of bringing this in by stealth... ie just not replacing any blown bulbs or fixing any lights that are faulty... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2012755/Street-lights-switched-HALF-Britain.html Anyone actually witnessing this? Certainly 50% of motorway light could be turned off. still,at least we won't be left short of transgender outreach coordinators...we'd be truly fecked if they got rid of those wouldn't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
small_stakes Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Not sure if it's just Lambeth being sh*t, but round here they appear to be adopting the approach of bringing this in by stealth... ie just not replacing any blown bulbs or fixing any lights that are faulty... Yep, dunno which bit of Lambeth you are in, but noticed that on the Balham side on the way home the other night. A few lights on Cavendish Rd were out. To be honest, I just assumed it was the usual story of Lambeth being a bit rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 You need the streetlights on roads to see all the holes properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaycuckoo Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 http://www.dailymail...LF-Britain.html Anyone actually witnessing this? No. The replica sun on the super-tall lamp post that overtops the trees at the back of my garden still blazes away past midnight. I have had thoughts of taking it out with a projectile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulfar Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 They are meant to be turning them off where I live, wish they would hurry up and get on with it. Have a street light right outside the front and it is really annoying if you want to leave the curtains open to get some air in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowflux Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 (edited) I don't understand why LED's weren't introduced ages ago. Because cost-effective LED's powerful enough for street lighting didn't exist ages ago. Edited July 10, 2011 by snowflux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Monk Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I can't see how just turning them off will save the Council money, as I understand it the electricity street lights use isn't metered, the Council pays a charge based on how many there are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Here in Colchester we have a roundabout with a World record number of lights on it. They could turn them all off after rush hours...they dont....they are all on 24/7. Same for pedestrian crossings....where nighttime traffic is so light, these could be turned off too. The Authority are still planting new traffic lights it seems on a weekly basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Turn them all off. Oldham is about to embark on a hugely insane PFi to bring new street lights to the borough. Insane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonb Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I don't understand why LED's weren't introduced ages ago. Because the existing sodium lamps are considerably more energy efficient than LEDs. They do take about 10 minutes to warm up to full brightness, that makes them useless for home use, but not a problem for street lamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonb Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 So why not make the street lights triggered by movement after midnight, like a lot of security lights are? Sodium lights take about 10 minutes to switch on properly. Security lights tend to be halogen, which is much less energy efficient. If the street lights were on any more than about a 10th of the time, it would be cheaper to have sodium lights on permanently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 what we need is another Sun. although the black hole at Cern may be the wrong location for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia O'Keeffe Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 (edited) what we need is another Sun. although the black hole at Cern may be the wrong location for it. arent you about to get a new Weekend Sun? Problem solved it seems by the man whos life work the uk is trying to destroy, talk about cutting off the nose to spite the face Edited July 10, 2011 by georgia o'keeffe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChumpusRex Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I can't see how just turning them off will save the Council money, as I understand it the electricity street lights use isn't metered, the Council pays a charge based on how many there are. It is unmetered, but the usage charge is based on an estimate of usage. This is calculated based on an estimate of annual hours of use (there are tables and computer programs that will estimate street-light running hours based upon latitude and local climatic factors), as well as time of use. The electricity supplier will be able to recalculate the bills based on the new type of usage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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