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Blackout of street lights
Saturday 20th February 2010, 11:25AM GMT.
Hundreds of street lights across Telford could be switched off leaving several main roads blacked out in an attempt by the council to save cash.
Officials at Telford & Wrekin Council are proposing switching off 1,350 street lights on six A-roads from midnight to 5.30am.
They claim the move would result in a saving of £76,000-a-year from the authority’s £1 million lighting budget.
Council chiefs say the big switch-off would also help to reduce carbon emissions.
The roads being considered are all within Telford’s urban area and include the A442 Eastern Primary, A4169 Ironbridge bypass, A464 Hollinswood interchange, A5223 Wellington Road in Oakengates, A518 Newport to Stafford road and the A5.
Councillor Adrian Lawrence, cabinet member for environment and rural area, said that residential areas would not be earmarked for the switch-off.
Primary
He said: “Budget proposals for service efficiencies include this scheme but would not affect lights in residential, commercial areas, road junctions, traffic islands, refuge islands or pedestrian crossings.
“Only primary routes would be affected.”
As part of the proposal, a new radio controlled system could be installed, which would allow the council to turn the lights back on if there was an emergency.
Before any decision is made, all parish councils across the borough will be consulted.
Councillor Richard Overton, from St Georges and Priorslee Parish Council, said they were in favour of the proposal.
He said: “It would only be main roads as far as we know.
“During the early hours there’s not much traffic and it helps to save money in the long term.
“It will be a good thing as long as people understand it will not affect their street, it will only focus on the main roads.”
Councillor Lawrence added: “Our consultation over the scheme continues and if the council decides to proceed – around £76,000 a year could be saved.
“If the proposals are given the go-ahead the scheme would begin to be implemented as soon as possible next financial year.”
A decision on the proposal is due in early March.
By Jason Lavan
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So long as those lights that were shut off overnight were not supplying light to houses or essential areas I do not see the problem here. Many countries shut their street lamps off overnight and also their non priority traffic lights off (they go to flashing orange to warn of possible dangers) to save money, why not follow suit?
Far too many lights are left lit overnight when road users all have headlights (those that don’t legally should have so have no cause for complaint) Personally I would vote yes to this.
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this is a good idea, anything to help save my council tax, i actually think it will be benefitital for the countryside, wilidlife and astronomy too and it will save power and so its greener cleaner and cheaper too
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You can start with the one outside my house, The council put a new bulb in about a month ago and its on all day now..
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Brilliant idea. Start with all the traffic lights.
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Great idea. Why we need these street lights are beyond me. If drivers with modern cars with modernlighting systems can’t see in the dark maybe they shouldn’t be driving.
People are being asked to use envoronmentally efficient light and turn them off when not in use, so why not the councils, after all it’s tax payers money
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sounds eminently sensible to me, the issue is, if they are not needed why were lights ever put in in the first place, surely on rural roads, just cats eyes will do, you can use full beam as there is not much other traffic around at that time
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Seems reasonable. £75k to provide a little illumination for a handful of vehicles is quite steep.
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Idiots, it will cost you more in compensation than anything you save.
Who will do the risk assessment?
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Why not make 70 poll tax dodgers just cough up like the rest of us instead.
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Why not change the lights for solar powered ones?
The initial outlay would be recouped with in about six months once they are installed.
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Switch them off!!!!!!!!!!!!! I live in a semi-rural area.. we dont have street lights… isnt that what car headlights were designed, produced… and we already pay for??
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This is a good idea. I think that many street lights are unnecessary and for the most part just blot out the night sky and use up valuable energy.
There is merit in lighting footpaths (though people could carry torches), but all cars are capable of driving on unlit roads.
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as well as saving money our local councillors are bothered about carbon emissions will the same council be using public transport and walking to save carbon emissions?
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If all else fails fall back on the good old ”carbon emissions”.
Turn the lights of Telford and save the world.
Hahaha
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Regarding telford turning off street lighting.Why do we need them on on A class roads and motorways after midnight.The traffic is light.It would make sense if it was taken up nationally.The down issue is crime,some people may try to take advantage.
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This used to happen years ago. There were some left on, but only a few.
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It will be good to save money. We should also reclaim our dark skies. Many Telford street, business and house lights throw light pollution upwards where it is not needed. This light pollution is blocking our views of the stars. It is time we rid Telford of light pollution so that we can see all the stars on a clear night!
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I have been saying this for years and finally someone has made a sensible decision! Now turn off all the lights on motorways…. my car has headlights so I don’t require pointless lighting!
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isnt thats why we pay council tax?for street lighting does that mean we will get a discount ,i dont think so,i like how they use the global warming chesnut ,disgrace full
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So the sort of lights that are necessary on islands are being switched off to save money, and the sort that aren’t necessary are being added to islands all the time, regardless of cost. Marvellous effort!
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good idea
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It will be good to save money!!, but lets also switch off the lights in & outside of the council building which are on all night….
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Excellent decision.
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i support this policy council tax must come down
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I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO SAVE MONEY BUT I WAS A BIT ANNOYED THEY WANT TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS BUT AS I TRAVELLED TO WORK YESTERDAY AT 3PM ALL THE STREET LIGHTS TO LAWLEY WERE ON IF THE COUNCIL GOT THERE TIMINGS RIGHT THEY PROBABLY WOULDNT NEED TO TRURN THEM OFF
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I’m all for it. The less light, the better.
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I’m all for the council saving money but let’s start with something much more than £76k…the new Council Headquarters is going to cost how much exactly? That’s right, the council wont tell us, all they talk about is a £20m ‘development’ – can the Shropshire Star get the council to explain how much of this £20m is coming out of the public purse.
Saving ten’s of thousands here & there would be commendable if they weren’t insistent on peeing it up the wall in other areas.
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