postmanpat

The street lights on our road have just been replaced, in most cases the new pole as been planted within a foot of the old, however for some reason they have decided to move one lampost by about 20 foot so it is now outside our house, this would not bother me so much but the new lampost is about 10 foot taller than the old concrete lamp, so meaning we get much more light into our bedrooms Do the council require planning permission to move lamps or can they just do it arbitarilly (spell)/ alter the height of the poles so causing a light nuisance? Is there any point complaining or will I be wasting my breath? Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

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SWMBO Octy Mk2 vS maxidot, duel zone wotsit, cruise, parking sensors, 18" alloys

Wayne Kerr

Get onto the Council mate!
Light pollution is a big problem everywhere.
If is illuminating an area that it's not designed to, That's light pollution!
The ain't gunna take it down, just insist they put a shroud on it. Get stuck into them mate. They don't like it up-em!

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Deli G ,,,, leader of the Peckham Massif!

KW Coilovers fitted, Forge TIP fitted, KK fitted, Blueflame full system fitted, CAI fitted, Forge 007 D/V fitted, PBVH4 fitted, Forge adjustable rear tie bars fitted, FMIC fitted, 312's fitted, Tints fitted.
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bengie

you should get onto the county council and not the city council by the way

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owner of a skoda octavia 4xvrs3

Wayne Kerr

So your a council worker eh!!!

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Deli G ,,,, leader of the Peckham Massif!

KW Coilovers fitted, Forge TIP fitted, KK fitted, Blueflame full system fitted, CAI fitted, Forge 007 D/V fitted, PBVH4 fitted, Forge adjustable rear tie bars fitted, FMIC fitted, 312's fitted, Tints fitted.
Was that a 4x4 Skoda??? It's IMPOSSIBLE! 197.2 BHP & 263.1Nm

bengie

yup, sparky for the local city council

we get complaints about street lights not working and go to tell our lovely residents that its not our job

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owner of a skoda octavia 4xvrs3

Johnnyc

Street lighting is a lot more efficient than it used to be with new bulb technology and reflectors. Generally this means that when they design a new scheme they require less columns because they can use more efficient reflectors to reduce glare but at the same time install fewer, higher columns. The same thing happened to me and I worried about it but actually the light overspill isn't as bad as i'd thought. The reflectors are designed to minimise light pollution upwards into the night sky but if you find it is also polluting your property to unacceptable levels then contact them about it. They will probably just add a blanking piece to the reflector to reduce overspill into your property.

You really can't contest the location of a street lighting column unless it impinges on your access to your property or represents a health and safety issue. It's not just as simple as moving a column either, as just moving 1 column a few feet can affect the lux levels further up the street and columns must be provided at certain locations like junctions etc.

I used to design these schemes and it's a total nightmare trying to place columns so to illuminate the street adequately (but no more and no less as the tax payers pay for the electricity) whilst being sympathetic to the owners of residential property in the area.

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Johnny

"Americans have different ways of saying things. They say "elevator", we say "lift" ... they say "President", we say "stupid psychopathic git."

darnell

WE have a lamp ouyside our house, GREAT it helps to keep unwanted nightime unwelcome prowlers away from my property and Octy.

postmanpat

Na, it just means they can see what they are doing

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Postmanpats car Fabia vRS Zennons, ESP, autochanger, 3rd headrest, heated seats, cruise control
SWMBO Octy Mk2 vS maxidot, duel zone wotsit, cruise, parking sensors, 18" alloys

heresmo

I'm surprised that you are not happy. I save a lot of money on night lights by using free light

Most curtains, even nets, will retain your privacy, and the 30's idea of a light near the window (before nets were invented) will "white out" any view further back from the light. I was quite aggrieved in a previous propery when a bust stop was moved, giviing sight through the upstairs windows, but that is a different matter.

Taking the intention into account, as said, the idea is to light as much pavement and roadway as possible, so if there is wastage because it's angled too much towards your property, that would be a good reason for them adjusting it, since it might not be effectively lighting its intended targets (road and pavement). And, no, I don't know about street lights, but do know about the benefits of directionality of equipment.

IOW, an efficiency line might reach a better informed ear than a complaint would.


Mo

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postmanpat

It is not so much the point that it as moved closer to my house, from opposite my neighbours front window to opposite mine, when all the other lights have been replaced in their original position! that is causing concern, but the fact that the old concrete lamps where approx 20 ft high and this thing is probably nearer 30+ ft high, so worried that when it gets switched on the light will shine into bedrooms meaning I need thicker curtains in order to sleep! Hopefully the points raised here about the new lamps efficiency in directing the light will negate the extra height, but given I live on a village road, unsuitable for large vehicles (not buses mind) I don't see the need for a lamp that imo would look more at home at a motorway intersection!

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Postmanpats car Fabia vRS Zennons, ESP, autochanger, 3rd headrest, heated seats, cruise control
SWMBO Octy Mk2 vS maxidot, duel zone wotsit, cruise, parking sensors, 18" alloys

cmcm789

I can understand the difficulties in placing street lighting columns, and at the end of the day, the priority is the illuminations of a section of road/footway or a junction. Street lighting Engineers are very reluctant to move lighting columns even for the sake of a few feet, I know as i have had lengthy drawn out discussions with them before (and i was on the same side).

I didn't know that plates could be erected to prevent light polution anywhere other than where it's required. I think this is a very good idea, and i wouldn't think the council would have a problem with this solution.

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Octy Elegance TDI (110bhp)

Goochie

In my experience, they'll be more than happy to fit a baffle to the rear of the lamp to sheild your house a bit. You will however, still get some extra ambient light caused by light reflectign from cars etc. - not alot you can do with that except closing your eyes when trying to get to sleep.