LED Street Lighting

[c2R]

Sticking a LED lantern on a concrete column more than half a century old doesn't look right.

I need to get you a picture of some of the efforts in Hertfordshire; some of these have been converted to modern LEDs in all sorts of strange ways:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.8824426 ... 312!8i6656

[PeterJ]

If you are, can you demonstrate that any changes you would like to make to the lights have popular support?

My local survey is going slowly since I don't want to knock on doors cold, but the first twenty or so respondents have expressed strong opposition and happily added their email addresses to the local campaign database. It's very local but I hope to get up to fifty or more written complaints. So far I've met one person who likes the new lights. At this time the local roll-out still has a long way to go so opposition is growing only slowly.

Today they are supposed to be installing one outside my house. Myself and three neighbours intend to stop them doing so. Let battle commence.

Popular support is not an issue when opposing such a stupid decision.

[Patrick Harper]

Sticking a LED lantern on a concrete column more than half a century old doesn't look right.

I need to get you a picture of some of the efforts in Hertfordshire; some of these have been converted to modern LEDs in all sorts of strange ways:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.8824426 ... 312!8i6656

That's actually not bad; some of the previously truncated swan necks were replaced with brand new ones when the new lanterns were installed.

[c2R]

If you are, can you demonstrate that any changes you would like to make to the lights have popular support?

My local survey is going slowly since I don't want to knock on doors cold, but the first twenty or so respondents have expressed strong opposition and happily added their email addresses to the local campaign database. It's very local but I hope to get up to fifty or more written complaints. So far I've met one person who likes the new lights. At this time the local roll-out still has a long way to go so opposition is growing only slowly.

Today they are supposed to be installing one outside my house. Myself and three neighbours intend to stop them doing so. Let battle commence.

Popular support is not an issue when opposing such a stupid decision.

The issue being how you phrase the questions: "Would you prefer a milder colour streetlight or would you prefer the money to be spent on looking after the elderly and vulnerable within the community" or "Do you support replacement streetlights that produce lower carbon emissions so that we can try and fight climate change" are ways on how I might phrase it, and doing so would I'm sure garner a large amount of popular support.

[Little Owl]

I do not think that the councils have much choice when the Extinction Rebellion are pressuring the government for actual action on CO₂ and not the colour temperature of a local street light, plus the LEDs come in different colour temperatures now.

At least it has created a golden opportunity for the street light preservation community.

[Truvelo]

The ideal solution then is to have modern LEDs with a low colour temperature in a housing which resembles something from 40 years ago. During the day when switched off it would be hard to tell the difference.

[PeterJ]

The ideal solution then is to have modern LEDs with a low colour temperature in a housing which resembles something from 40 years ago. During the day when switched off it would be hard to tell the difference.

I'd say it's not just the ideal solution but the only one, although for me the housing is not a big issue.

The preferred alternative for local councils is to make us all live in an ugly lorry-park and speed up the extinction of insects and birds.

[Patrick Harper]

The preferred alternative for local councils is to make us all live in an ugly lorry-park and speed up the extinction of insects and birds.

You're not getting it.

[Ritchie333]

There were council elections a few weeks ago. Did you consider standing as a Green Party candidate? A couple of my friends did; although they didn't get elected, they at least showed people that there was interest in making more environmentally friendly decisions, and not just picking the cheapest and easiest option available. Indeed, I would suggest that having a political party on your side will give you far more respect for your views and campaigns than just randomly cold-calling. Something to think about for next time.

[PeterJ]

There were council elections a few weeks ago. Did you consider standing as a Green Party candidate? A couple of my friends did; although they didn't get elected, they at least showed people that there was interest in making more environmentally friendly decisions, and not just picking the cheapest and easiest option available. Indeed, I would suggest that having a political party on your side will give you far more respect for your views and campaigns than just randomly cold-calling. Something to think about for next time.

Good thoughts but unfortunately it's not as simple as this. I know I've some councilors on my side and they can't make a difference either (as they have complained to me!). Meanwhile our MPs are too busy messing up Brexit to take an interest. I've not noticed that the Green Party has any policy on street lighting other than making it low energy.

I suspect this is an issue that will pick up momentum over time. I note that CPRE has invited an engineer to submit an article for their next journal issue due to their unhappiness with this lighting, and what with all the research going on and the comments of the AMA, BMA and others I'm hoping eventually there will be new national legislation. I'm not trying to change to world single-handed, just doing my bit.

The discussion here has helped improve my understanding of the problem, or at least how it arose, for which I'll thank everyone.