Edingburgh street lighting.

[marcopolo]

Well it's a start.......

""Dear Mr Miglionico,

Street Lighting – Reducing Lighting Pollution

Thank you for your e-mail dated 20th January regarding the above.

I can advise that all new installations of street lighting are designed in accordance with

the current British Standards utilising modern lighting units with vastly improved optical

control and minimal upward light spill.

We are currently evaluating various LED street lighting solutions. A LED solution was

recently installed in Stapeley Avenue and we are currently preparing a trial to further

enhance our knowledge of the LED market.

It is intended that this pilot will inform Council policy on the use of LED’s in the future in

order that we may benefit from their use, specifically with regard to minimising

maintenance costs, minimising CO2 emissions and moving from the old traditional orange

lights to white lights.

I can also advise that we currently have two trial areas of adaptive lighting which are

being evaluated by the Council, one being a car park and the other a minor distribution

road where the light levels are reduced out with peak hours. There are 64 street lights

included in the trial.

Euan Kennedy, Road Services Manager, Services for Communities

14 Bankhead Avenue, Edinburgh EH11 4HD streetlighting@edinburgh.gov.uk

I trust the above information is to your satisfaction. Should you have any further queries

regarding this matter, please contact me on (0131) 458 8040 or at

streetlighting@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Clarke

Customer Service Officer""

[ixalon]

Fingers crossed the adaptive lighting trial gets expanded - not too sure about the white LED lighting though (my neighbour's white LED security light is blinding and impossible to filter out).

[chr1s]

Whiter and brighter? Hmmm...

[marcopolo]

Good thing about LED's though is they can be dimmed, turned on/off quicly etc....

CFl's, discharge etc hate being hammered by cycling.

[paul schofield]

I heard a report on London news today saying people are protesting against some street lights being removed, as they think it would be dangerous, protesters get a torch. I don't think cutting street lights down by fifty percent would put anyone in danger. Then again what ever people protest about then?

[mert]

The street behind me is getting new lights installed just now, good news is they appear to more spaced out than the old ones. As for the upward light spill, one of the lights on the corner has a hood which does push all the light down as it does make a difference. It's the only one I've seen in my area in Edinburgh.

[mert]

Edinburgh council have been replacing the street lights behind my parents house with the new downward shades over the last 2 weeks, last night they had both sets on but the new lights looked dimmer as these shades do push the light down, they have also spaced them out more, I watched them removing the old lamposts today, in the past I have had to have the scope near the hedge as two of the orange type lights were visible, these have now gone, so hopefully it may make a difference.

[Craig20264]

Returned home from a Rabbit control foray this morning, (another of my nocturnal pursuits) about 1am, to find my town in darkness, hats off to Suffolk County Council:hello2:

[boabsta]

I also live in edinburgh in 1 of the more built up areas and as such I have to leave the city to have any chance of seeing the sky and not get mugged or have the police phoned on me. I tend to go either up the pentlands or along to camulty forrest. I think its fair to say that it is only when you leave the city can you see just how much light polution there is. Even on a clear sky night, there is still an orange haze heading to the heavens. I dont honestly think a change of street lighting in a city this size is going to make that much of a difference. I hope I'm wrong but with all the retail parks and industrial sites throughout the city boundary all lit up like christmas I cant see it improving. The gyle with its glass roof and uplights annoys me as I can see that from my flat. Also the football training grounds as well as heriot watt and murryfield all glowing white in the sky and easily visible from a vast distance. Sorry getting a bit carried away in naming and shaming.

I guess the bottom line is if anyone from ed fancies a jaunt to the country for some dark skies, give me a shout. I got a car and dont mind meeting new people. Especialy if they have half a clue as I dont.