Turning street lights off

[Hedgehog]

Are they turning the street lights off in your area and if so what do you think about it? I'm from Mid Wales and they are turning the lights off to save money in many of the small towns and a lot of people are very concerned about it.
It is a bit of a harsh penny pinching measure I fee,l especially when so much public money is wasted on other things.

[jazzactivist]

It doesn't seem to be happening here, hedgehog, but I think that it can be a good thing. Often there is no need for bright street lighting in small rural towns and villages. The moon, and people's outside lighting, is usually bright enough to see by, not much crime occurs, and in the depths of winter not many people are out and about in the darkest hours. In the last village that I lived in residents were up in arms as the Council was changing the streetlights from the dim orange glow ones to white halogen ones. There was no need for it at all, and in the end a compromise was reached to space the new lights out much more. Even so, I think that bright lightng makes an area look like a hgh crime area let alone the effect on nocturnal wildlife and people trying to get to sleep. Perhaps as a compromise we should copy more enlightened countries and have only a few streetlights that switch themselves on and off as people approach them and pass by?

[souter girl]

In our village they have replaced nasty modern lamp posts with the "old fashioned" type - it's like The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe!! Good for them! I do appreciate reasonable lights around a village however where the pavements are not always the best, but have a deep loathing for those lights which turn themselves on as you get near - often they are so bright you are dazzled afterwards and also they are often superfluous as I am only walking past with the dog and not up that particular house path! That can't be saving energy! The orange glow in the sky however from our nearest city 6 miles away or the M1 about 3 miles is awful too, you can hardly see any stars looking in that direction

[jazzactivist]

The sensory streetlights that I experienced in Stockholm were really nice - low level and with a naturalistic, white glow that just illuminated a few steps in front and behind of you. As the person approached the next one the one behind switched itself off. This was in a major city and there was far less light than in many villages here but it was still useful and appropriate. I agree that those sensory security lights that people sometimes have outside their houses are particularly horrible.

[JG]

This thread has really interested me for two main reasons. Firstly, I can't sleep, or I dream about crazy things, with streetlights coming through the window and have had to put towels on the curtain rails in the house where I am staying in the Falklands, because I am in the town and the curtains are thin.
Secondly, in Staffordshire, I have no streetlights, but can see Stone, Stafford and Rugeley glowing, orange or white, up into the sky from about 6 to 8 miles away in any direction. This has worsened in the 15 years I have been in my village. Also, next door has an awful orange floodlight that they occasionally switch on, shining onto the front of their house and, worse, they floodlight their summer house and an oak tree in the back garden. OK when sitting out with friends, but why when they are in with the curtains closed? They might be able to afford the electricity, but what about saving the planet?
I read that there are children in the Northern Hemisphere who will now never see the Milky Way because of light pollution. Here in the Falklands, even in town, but amazing in the country, the Milky Way is so gorgeous that you feel it's not real or that you could reach out and touch it. And there are so many stars visible that it's hard to make out the constellations.
I know that there are all sorts of safety arguments to having streetlights and I feel very privileged to live somewhere where they are not needed. It must be awful living near a 24 hour supermarket where the car park has to be lit all night, or a major road junction. I wish they could find a solution, like lights that cast down and whose upward light is shaded.
I'm in danger of sounding like a grumpy old woman as, while typing this, I'm beginning to feel my blood boil about the trend towards over-the-top Christmas lights. Bah Humbug!

[Rustic Pumpkin]

We have a small bad element of youths who frequent our streets after dark. They key cars, break windows, pull up bedding plants, and throw stones at passers by. Despite this, we have a very poor police presence in our village, we have to call an 0845 number to a call centre some 60 miles away.

There is talk that our council plans to cut the street lighting. This is not good for the safety of individuals walking our streets after dark, and in Winter that is around 4:30 pm, so most people still have to make thier way home from work. I go out walking for fitness around the streets at night so as not to be seen.

As for Christmas lights being mentioned, last year, our local council spent £75K on lighting services for three years, so I think I should ask if anyone else is using our Soap Box before I grab it!

[jazzactivist]

I sympathise with your situation, Rustic, and street youth work is usually more effective than a police presence in dealing with youth crime. On street youth workers who walk around after dark talking with young people, plus a youth club that really offers interesting opportunities that they can direct them to, has been proven to work in other towns and villages. This is something that the local councils, and even parish councils, can easily get funding for and organise.

To me, Christmas lighting in every town and village is a waste of money and also not very environmental. A few tasteful lights are better than lots, or if really essential maybe just one town in an area should have the Christmas lights and everyone go there for the switch on and to 'see the lights'. The money for street and Christmas lighting could be better spent on other things. I will be interested to see what the Christmas lights situation is in this village, as in our last one the annual row over the cost and distribution of the Christmas lights was legendary!

[Healing Hands]

JG, how wonderful to be in the Falklands, I was there 6 years ago with my late husband who worked in Antarctica, we had an amazing time in the Falklands although the weather was very bad and the ship's line broke away from the harbour.

We do not have much in the way of street lightening, but my neigbour over the road has one of these security lights which goes off with the slightest of things and it shine right into my bedroom. I have got used to it over the years, but guest find it annoying as the guest bedroom is in the front also and they find it hard to sleep.

[dragonfly]

I love to see Christmas lights and hope they continue but think they have them on for to long. A week before and week after Christmas is sufficient. Market Bosworth is a small town square and each Christmas all around the square has white dripping lights and it looks delightful especially when they have the carol service and the square is full of people holding candles.

[Healing Hands]

That sounds lovely dragonfly, I think a lot of people who have their lights on outside their houses will this year either not do them or reduce the light that they have on.