Help me with the Letter to Council to shade Streetlights

[RolandKol]

Hi guys,

LED Streetlights were installed on the road next to my garden and.... Of course, they are not shaded, so my garden and even further neighbors gardens are strongly lit.

Without any serious expectations I dropped a short email to the local council, however, they even called me today (only 3 days later) asking to clarify more details.

Lady, Environmental Protection Technician, who spoke to me, was kind and was sure LED lights bring only benefits, she agreed to some of my statements about Light Pollution and asked me to describe the negative impacts in the email, so she would be able to forward the issue to the higher entities/authorities.

I am not a native English speaker and struggle to express myself properly in official manner and hope you guys will help me out to draft one.

Further more, - we could create a standard letter/email which would help others in this field.

You can see the email text I received after our telephone conversation (as I understand she copied and pasted most of it from the council's website).

I will start drafting my answer in the post below and hope some ideas and help from you guys.

*********************

It was lovely to speak to you earlier and to clarify the concerns which you raised due to the scattering of light from these LED which disturb the environment of nocturnal wildlife.

We both agree on the benefits of LED lighting. I have included excerpts from the Medway Council Website below:-

Benefits of LED lanterns

The benefits to residents include:

• reducing the amount of money spent on electricity per year
• less glare and intrusion into homes
• saving roughly 50% in energy
• less maintenance work
• improved visibility with a white light
• easier to see colours making it safer for residents driving, walking or cycling
• improved safety to residents

The new lanterns are better for the environment as they:

• use less electricity than other lamps or bulbs
• have less light spillage with lights directed towards the pavement to create better environment for wildlife 
• produce less carbon emissions
• reduce light pollution and sky glow
• work well in hot and cold environments
• have longer lives compared to traditional lights
• light up immediately

I would be grateful if you could send photographs of the light scattering from the LED lights on your street which affect your home.

Yours Sincerely,

Environmental Protection Technician

[IB20]

When I complained to my local council about LED street light intrusion I sent them two pictures of the offending lights at night from my “child’s” bedroom. Immediately they reduced one to 35% output as it was on a cul-de-sac and fitted a light shield to one on the main road.

The pictures were definitely from my “child’s” bedroom and not a spare unused room. 

Send them evidence that the lights are trespassing into your house and disturbing your sleep and they will rectify it fairly quickly IME.

[RolandKol]

Email/Reply:

"I completely agree with all statements related to energy efficiency of LED lanterns in statements described under "The benefits to residents include:"   and do agree with most statements of benefits to the environment, however:

1) These street lights are very bright and have no shading. (I feel I need to add more here)

2) NonShaded light covers around 20-30m distance which includes private gardens and any nocturnal wildlife. (I feel I need to add more here)

3) Street lights are in the same height as our house windows. (I will add pictures as @IB20 suggested also think of drawing googlemaps based scheme of light protrusion to our gardens followed by pics).

4)  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/light-pollution#how-much-light-shines

5) https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=513

6) https://jech.bmj.com/content/69/11/1118 "Results from this study suggest that when risks are carefully considered, local authorities can safely reduce street lighting saving both costs and energy using switch off, part-night lighting, dimming, and white light strategies without necessarily impacting negatively upon road traffic collisions and crime. The participating local authorities included a good range of communities in terms of population density, geographic location, and economic resources."

7) https://cdn.buglife.org.uk/2019/08/A-Review-of-the-Impact-of-Artificial-Light-on-Invertebrates-docx_0.pdf

8).  https://www.cpre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Shedding_light_leaflet.pdf

9)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by RolandKol

[Tiny Clanger]

Check if your MP is involved in this :https://appgdarkskies.co.uk/  if they are, send a copy of your letter to them (and mention what you did  to the council)  if they are not,  send the MP an email suggesting they look at it and consider joining !

Heather

 

[david_taurus83]

Take a picture of your garden at night and up the exposure or ISO to 'compliment' the amount of light intruding your garden.

[RolandKol]

2 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

Take a picture of your garden at night and up the exposure or ISO to 'compliment' the amount of light intruding your garden.

I am almost sure, I will need to down exp or iso if I will try to image via my window as cam will get blind  
hmm or maybe I should try using my Ha 3nm filter?   hahah joking

These LEDs are actually bright as a welding lights.... I do not need to invent anything.

Edited October 8, 2021 by RolandKol

[Dark Vader]

My local council was pretty good to be fair. I took some very orange night photos but didn't need to use them. I've omitted certain specifics to the street lights in my particular case, but the main part went like this:

"The light intrusion into my property means I have a bright orange garden during what's meant to be the hours of darkness. Please can these lights be fitted with shielding asap?"

The term "light intrusion" is quite a good one. Hope you get somewhere with them.

Andy 

Edited October 8, 2021 by Dark Vader

[UKDiver]

3 hours ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Check if your MP is involved in this :https://appgdarkskies.co.uk/  if they are, send a copy of your letter to them (and mention what you did  to the council)  if they are not,  send the MP an email suggesting they look at it and consider joining !

Heather

 

Always ask for a response from you MP.

If it is on a subject that you want forwarded to a minister, ask you MP for the ministers response to be copied to you. Also sign it, don't use a stock letter without adding your own name and address.

Otherwise you may not really be getting them to do anything. Asking for a response may still not mean satisfactory outcomes.

I've added the text I used in such a letter. Whether anything really changed in the government's real intentions is impossible to say, but amateur divers did get some representation after this and many similar letters.

Adrian

MP letter.txt

Edited October 8, 2021 by UKDiver
Tweaks

[Tiny Clanger]

40 minutes ago, UKDiver said:

Always ask for a response from you MP.

If it is on a subject that you want forwarded to a minister, ask you MP for the ministers response to be copied to you. Also sign it, don't use a stock letter without adding your own name and address.

Otherwise you may not really be getting them to do anything. Asking for a response may still not mean satisfactory outcomes.

I've added the text I used in such a letter. Whether anything really changed in the government's real intentions is impossible to say, but amateur divers did get some representation after this and many similar letters.

Adrian

MP letter.txt 1.59 kB · 1 download

I suspect the main use of a letter to the MP in this case is nothing to do with the MP's response (or lack of response, or form letter sent out to everyone ... ), more a hint to the council that you are prepared to get the MP involved, which might .... encourage them a little.

[UKDiver]

Just now, Tiny Clanger said:

I suspect the main use of a letter to the MP in this case is nothing to do with the MP's response (or lack of response, or form letter sent out to everyone ... ), more a hint to the council that you are prepared to get the MP involved, which might .... encourage them a little.

Quite likely.

I'd take a similar approach to the council, asking them to reply in a set timescale. They might have a key performance indicator on their website.

Adrian

[RolandKol]

14 hours ago, UKDiver said:

Quite likely.

I'd take a similar approach to the council, asking them to reply in a set timescale. They might have a key performance indicator on their website.

Adrian

In our covidsteria times, - performance indication options are most likely scrapped  So I will avoid framing them into any timescales initially....
The auto-response email states something like "due to covid, we will look into the matter within 6 months", but I was lucky to get a call back after 3 days
P.S. 
It loos like my Council works much better than DVLA giving/extending HGV driver's licenses

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

On 08/10/2021 at 11:55, RolandKol said:

Email/Reply:

"I completely agree with all statements related to energy efficiency of LED lanterns in statements described under "The benefits to residents include:"   and do agree with most statements of benefits to the environment, however:

1) These street lights are very bright and have no shading. (I feel I need to add more here)

2) NonShaded light covers around 20-30m distance which includes private gardens and any nocturnal wildlife. (I feel I need to add more here)

3) Street lights are in the same height as our house windows. (I will add pictures as @IB20 suggested also think of drawing googlemaps based scheme of light protrusion to our gardens followed by pics).

4)  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/light-pollution#how-much-light-shines

5) https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=513

6) https://jech.bmj.com/content/69/11/1118 "Results from this study suggest that when risks are carefully considered, local authorities can safely reduce street lighting saving both costs and energy using switch off, part-night lighting, dimming, and white light strategies without necessarily impacting negatively upon road traffic collisions and crime. The participating local authorities included a good range of communities in terms of population density, geographic location, and economic resources."

7) https://cdn.buglife.org.uk/2019/08/A-Review-of-the-Impact-of-Artificial-Light-on-Invertebrates-docx_0.pdf

8).  https://www.cpre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Shedding_light_leaflet.pdf

9)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too much information.

I was very honest with my council and kept things simple.

I stated I am an amateur astronomer, a specific LED lamp approx 20m from my rear fence was shining sideways into my garden causing intrusion and I would they shade it please. (I also included a photo)

After two attempts several months apart, one evening I noticed the garden was darker than usual. I looked across the fence and the lamp was shielded. 👍

Edited October 9, 2021 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[JeremyS]

I agree with @ScouseSpaceCadet. You need to keep it short and simple. You need to state your problem and how you want it rectified. You need to be specific about your situation. You can cover your general (and very valid ) concerns on a later occasion, when your matter has been resolved.

[Zermelo]

I agree with the above, keep it specific.
In my experience, trying to argue general principles with officials or politicians is rarely successful, however strong your case may be. I think most people in those positions either just follow established procedure (employees) or, if empowered to make policy, have already formed strong opinions that are hard to change (elected).

The response that you have already had from them shows that your authority has already given it some thought and believes that there are strong arguments for a programme of streetlight replacements. Your best chance of getting action is to argue that the implementation of the one near you needs a "tweak". As mentioned above, asking for shielding to stop light entering a bedroom window and disturbing sleep is probably the best approach. It's something specific that they can respond to, won't cost them much, and doesn't require them to re-evaluate their current "balance of harms". There also seems to be precedent that light-into-bedroom is something that councils should do something about, even though street lighting is explicitly excluded from the category of statutory light nuisance.

I have sympathy with the opinion that this won't address the general problem of increasing amounts of LED lighting that is too bright and too blue, but I think that battle might only be won top down, if at all.

Edited October 10, 2021 by Zermelo

[Xoc1]

When I moved into my current house the night sky was breathtaking as it should be in South Devon. Unfortunately I am on the border of The Dartmouth Naval College - And one night the security lights were turned on around the security fence. And they stay on Day and Night 24-7, all year.

Then they decided to install Floodlights for the playing field.  The floodlights can be turned on by anyone in the college and I sometimes find they get turned on so a single jogger can run around the field.

The Lights are all in an elevated position above my home and the lights are behind a wooded area so not so bad in the summer but a pain in the winter when all the trees are bare.

All pics just taken with my phone.

The pic of the side of the house is how it is every day.

So My issue is I am not dealing with a Council I have to deal with the MOD .

I want to contact them about the issue but am looking for the right approach?

[Cyril]

I spoke to our council and pointed out that their new LED lights, fitted to the existing high lamp poles,  were lighting up the hillside behind our house more so than the sodium lights had  done before and could we have a shade put on it, I also mentioned that I dabbled in astronomy, a week later a shade appeared on the light.

Recently they have removed some of the  old high poles and replaced them with shorter, lower than the roof top, poles with diffused LED lights.

[Cyril]

Try this guy

James Heappey

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence

Conservative MP for Wells

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to improving energy efficiency across the defence estate in line with the Net Zero ambition. Energy efficient lighting is one aspect of this and there is a proactive programme to transition to LED lighting.

For new builds the MOD policy is to achieve an excellent rating under the Defence Related Environmental Assessment Methodology (DREAM) which requires the use of energy efficient fittings.

[Nigella Bryant]

I just asked the council if they could use cut off shades on two led lamp posts as the light affected my dome. Three days later a lighting engineer knocked on the door and asked where I wanted the cut off placed. 

[JeremyS]

14 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

I just asked the council if they could use cut off shades on two led lamp posts as the light affected my dome. Three days later a lighting engineer knocked on the door and asked where I wanted the cut off placed. 

Great result Nigella 👍🏻
If the engineer had not been so helpful, I might have been tempted to tell them exactly where to put it 🤣

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

The last few posts are a few good examples of how keeping requests to the point work. I think councils on the whole are slowly becoming more aware of light pollution issues now or at least are more receptive to individual residents' requests, so there's less need for the, 'my child's bedroom is lit up like Christmas!' excuses. 🙄

 

[tony]

Just to give this post a bump, I've just sent an email to my local council regarding a lamp over the road, I will post their response if and when I get one.

[cajen2]

Does anyone know if it's possible to shade sodium street lights? My front garden is bright yellow, all night.