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UK lighting

Mav359

By Mav359
in The Astro Lounge

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bejay1957

bejay1957

Posted
Posted

Saw the item on BBC Breakfast, though as ever there seems to be conflicting claims from other sources.  The RAC was mentioned as claiming their study showed more accidents - though not sure how they are claiming an accident was the fault of a lack of street lighting and not driver error?  Inevitably there were the stories of people who were afraid to go out in the dark and who were prone to falling over on footpaths/pavements - when was the torch uninvented?

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JamesF

JamesF

Posted
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There's another thread on this too.  I've just posted there that the AA also claim it's inconsistent with their research, which shows six road deaths partially attributable to reduced street lighting (according to the coroner) between 2009 and 2013.  That's six out of almost 9,500.  To give that any sort of statistical significance looks exceptionally hard to justify.

James

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Scott

Scott

Posted
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There's another thread on this too.  I've just posted there that the AA also claim it's inconsistent with their research, which shows six road deaths partially attributable to reduced street lighting (according to the coroner) between 2009 and 2013.  That's six out of almost 9,500.  To give that any sort of statistical significance looks exceptionally hard to justify.

James

Sadly, Scare tactics are not after justification... they have put it out there and the truth of the matter is than many people will hear it and hold onto it as gospel,not thinking for one minute that the insurance co.s are only justifying their next price hike :(.

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spaceman_spiff

spaceman_spiff

Posted
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Personally, I find it difficult to believe news reports that focus on a minority of cases. It is obvious that some deaths will be partially attributable to the lack of street lighting. What seems silly is to then use this information to justify additional street lighting (or oppose switching them off) given that the link between the few accidents and street lighting may not be fully understood.

Anyway, lets hope for darker skies! 

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bejay1957

bejay1957

Posted
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While not streetlights, many years back now I recall the Abingdon AS supporting a member's case to have her neighboring property school crossing lighting turned off during the night; the claims by the elf n safety brigade were just bizarre, and could never justify how/why/when schoolchildren were supposed to be in and out of school during all hours of the night to need such lighting - these peeps cannot differentiate between it being dark and actual night hours.

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Dave_D

Dave_D

Posted
Posted

Saw the item on BBC Breakfast, though as ever there seems to be conflicting claims from other sources.  The RAC was mentioned as claiming their study showed more accidents - though not sure how they are claiming an accident was the fault of a lack of street lighting and not driver error?  Inevitably there were the stories of people who were afraid to go out in the dark and who were prone to falling over on footpaths/pavements - when was the torch uninvented?

indeed... £20 says most of those 'accidents' are (as usual) just bad driving

I drive the M65 every weekend, which has it's lights out, and the number of accidents is unbelievable, especially considering it's a very straight motorway. but it *is* a racetrack for the locals in mercs and bmws'

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SteveNickolls

SteveNickolls

Posted
Posted

I've forwarded a link to the journal to my contact at Notts County Council responsible for street lighting issues, maybe others would want to do the same in their areas to help disseminate the report as far as possible among the councils? 

Cheers,

Steve

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

Posted
Posted

It will come anyway - has to.  Councils have already taken a massive cut to their funding over the last 5 years which equates to about 60% of their budgets .  With another 40% of cuts to come most will opt out of any non-statutory duties and as street lights are not a statutory provision they will face the axe just like all the other non statutory stuff like meals on wheels, parks, day centres for the elderly, community care, libraries etc.  Its already happening round here with non statutory services being spun off or closed down.

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Mav359

Mav359

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It will come anyway - has to.  Councils have already taken a massive cut to their funding over the last 5 years which equates to about 60% of their budgets .  With another 40% of cuts to come most will opt out of any non-statutory duties and as street lights are not a statutory provision they will face the axe just like all the other non statutory stuff like meals on wheels, parks, day centres for the elderly, community care, libraries etc.  Its already happening round here with non statutory services being spun off or closed down.

This is why it will happen, they bodge the figures to their favour so they can justfy turning them off so they can save the money. They have no other interest regardless

Ironically i think that they are for once doing the right thing but as always for the wrong reason and they don't even know it.

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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Yes sorry stu - I honestly wasn't making a political point but the cash comes into it.  Streetlights cost a bomb to run, you only have to look at your own electric bill to see what running a few miles of inefficient pretty powerful lights would cost.  Chuck in the maintenance, sparing, replacements every time a car hits one and its never going to be a cheap thing.

It would be nice to see a lot of them switched off if only because it seems so mad to be burning so much power for miles of empty motorways and urban areas.  People always scream about how dark it would be but how many if them are out after 1am.  I used to be working shifts in the middle of nowhere and you just adapt to it, drive a bit slower, watch where you are going etc.

We have a sports field near where I live and the amount of times I see the floodlights on all night when there is obviously no one playing football at 3am - its mad and when you think about it its your own cash being burnt away for no good purpose.

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JamesF

JamesF

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We have a sports field near where I live and the amount of times I see the floodlights on all night when there is obviously no one playing football at 3am - its mad and when you think about it its your own cash being burnt away for no good purpose.

That sort of thing really gets on my whatsits.  Buildings that are lit up at night, especially with bloomin' great spotlights, for absolutely no worthwhile reason whatsoever, just wasting energy and money.  Why?

We ought to have evolved past the stage where profligate waste is a demonstration of one's wealth by now...

James

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Tzitzis

Tzitzis

Posted
Posted

Wow.

There's so much difference in how people and government think in UK... This is important enough to be on the news!

Hope they go on with reasoning the amount of street light and generally night light there guys!

Best of luck! Cheers from Greece!

Tzitzis

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Stu

Stu

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Yes sorry stu - I honestly wasn't making a political point but the cash comes into it. Streetlights cost a bomb to run, you only have to look at your own electric bill to see what running a few miles of inefficient pretty powerful lights would cost. Chuck in the maintenance, sparing, replacements every time a car hits one and its never going to be a cheap thing.

It would be nice to see a lot of them switched off if only because it seems so mad to be burning so much power for miles of empty motorways and urban areas. People always scream about how dark it would be but how many if them are out after 1am. I used to be working shifts in the middle of nowhere and you just adapt to it, drive a bit slower, watch where you are going etc.

We have a sports field near where I live and the amount of times I see the floodlights on all night when there is obviously no one playing football at 3am - its mad and when you think about it its your own cash being burnt away for no good purpose.

No, I understand you weren't Mel, just making sure the thread stayed on track.

Cheers!

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