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Call for bright ideas on lights
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| Councillor Paul Sargent wants to see some street lights switched off to cut electricity use |
Street lights could be switched off across Oxfordshire between midnight and 5am in a radical bid to cut carbon emissions and reduce light pollution.
County Hall has been challenged to show it is serious about cutting its carbon footprint by updating outdated street lighting with low-energy lightbulbs - and turning off unnecessary lights altogether.
Oxford city councillor Paul Sargent will todaytable a series of suggestions that, if accepted, would force Oxfordshire County Council - the highways authority - to undertake an audit of every street light, traffic light and illuminated sign.
He wants County Hall to:
Undertake an environmental impact study to investigate the possibility of switching off unnecessary lighting between midnight and 5am;
Conduct a full audit of civic lighting in their control to ensure lighting is correctly
positioned and focused;
Investigate the use of energy-efficient light-emitting diode technology as a replacement for sodium and mercury vapour lamps.
And he wants the city council to play its part by:
Instructing departments responsible for security lighting on council property, parks, housing and walkways to investigate using LED lighting;
Instruct businesses to ensure all non-essential workplace lighting is switched off overnight.
Mr Sargent, who represents the city centre Carfax ward, said: "Light pollution occurs from the use of artificial lighting. In some cases, when light is emitted, it can be seen as prejudicial to health, or a nuisance."
Between them, the county and city councils spent nearly £5m on electricity in 2005-6 for street lights, traffic lights and illuminated signs.
County Hall has set itself a target of switching off the lights in 100 street signs a year, where regulations permit, to save money.
Mr Sargent's motion says: "This council recognises its statutory responsibilities in reducing the nuisance factor of light trespass and takes seriously its moral obligations in raising awareness of light pollution and its increasing impact upon the overall carbon emissions.
"The council acknowledges civic lighting in our public places, parks and highways plays its part in reducing accidents and enabling citizens to go about their lawful business safely.
"However, we also recognise much of our civic lighting stock is ageing, energy-inefficient and in many cases, polluting.
"In fact, most light pollution is caused by ageing and poorly-positioned lighting.
"It's time the city and county councils put their own houses in order."
Thames Valley Police said it would have to undertake crime risk assessments before any lights were switched off.
Police spokesman Toby Shergold added: "We're aware of similar schemes at other councils and we're liaising with Oxfordshire County Council on the possibility of future schemes here, although there are no current plans to reduce lighting."
8:51am Monday 12th February 2007
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CommentPosted by: Tony Brett, Oxford on 12:34pm Mon 12 Feb 07
What a load of absolute nonsense! People are up and about at all hours of the day and night these days. Does Paul Sargent really think that if street lights are needed at all then they are not needed between midnight at 5am? He doesn't even seem to understand the difference between light pollution and carbon emissions.
How is Paul Sargent putting a motion to the County Council? He is not a member of it as he failed to get elected to it in 2005.
Maybe Paul could help the environment best by reducing the amount of hot air he speaks.
What a load of absolute nonsense! People are up and about at all hours of the day and night these days. Does Paul Sargent really think that if street lights are needed at all then they are not needed between midnight at 5am? He doesn't even seem to understand the difference between light pollution and carbon emissions.
How is Paul Sargent putting a motion to the County Council? He is not a member of it as he failed to get elected to it in 2005.
Maybe Paul could help the environment best by reducing the amount of hot air he speaks.
Posted by: Alan, Oxford on 2:32pm Mon 12 Feb 07
Tony, i think Paul has a good point, during the week it might be a good idea to turn the lights off, ok friday/sat/sun leave them on. But as for you Tony i hope your employer (should you have one) get as much time from you working as you do writing comments.
Tony, i think Paul has a good point, during the week it might be a good idea to turn the lights off, ok friday/sat/sun leave them on. But as for you Tony i hope your employer (should you have one) get as much time from you working as you do writing comments.
Posted by: Tony Brett, Oxford on 5:55pm Mon 12 Feb 07
People are out and about 24 hours a day 7 days a weeks. Alan, if you'd not noticed there are in excess of 30,000 students in Oxford - I don't think they only go out at the weekend!
I'm sure the County Council would love to do a full audit of street lighting and many other things but local authorities have limited amounts of cash available and I fain it hard to see how, for example, anyone would accept further cuts to education and social services just so the street lights could be audited.
People are out and about 24 hours a day 7 days a weeks. Alan, if you'd not noticed there are in excess of 30,000 students in Oxford - I don't think they only go out at the weekend!
I'm sure the County Council would love to do a full audit of street lighting and many other things but local authorities have limited amounts of cash available and I fain it hard to see how, for example, anyone would accept further cuts to education and social services just so the street lights could be audited.
Posted by: I work in the lighting industry, Oxford on 11:18pm Mon 12 Feb 07
This is completely stupid. What is this guy thinking, he clearly hasn't got a clue. Look on wikipedia if you want to find out- Sodium vapour lamps are the most efficient lighting, followed by mercury vapour. LED lightling is considerably less efficient, with high thermal losses due to the fact it must use UV LEDs to excite a mixture of phosphors. It would be an expensive waste of time and energy to replace sodium and mercury vapour with LED lighting, anyone could tell you that Mr Sargent you ill informed arrogant buffoon
This is completely stupid. What is this guy thinking, he clearly hasn't got a clue. Look on wikipedia if you want to find out- Sodium vapour lamps are the most efficient lighting, followed by mercury vapour. LED lightling is considerably less efficient, with high thermal losses due to the fact it must use UV LEDs to excite a mixture of phosphors. It would be an expensive waste of time and energy to replace sodium and mercury vapour with LED lighting, anyone could tell you that Mr Sargent you ill informed arrogant buffoon
Posted by: Young Designer, Loughborough on 6:46pm Fri 16 Feb 07
I came across this page as part of reasearch for a street light redesign project that I have been set for my degree. Turning street lights off is not the answer. Paul Sargent needs to really look at what is causing the carbon emissions. Poor design of the lights is a huge factor, the infrastructure is old and needs updating. But for the moment, as has been said, Sodium vapour are some of the most efficient. In 5 years LED may be a viable alternative, but the are still largly inefficient and produce the wrong sort of lumionsity. Street lights are an essential part of the communinty and provide a sence of security, and safety. Maybe the council should look at the inefficiency of its own office to cut carbon emmisions befor turning off what i would consider and essential public safety measure. As a side point Alan, I felt your 'dig' at other peoples comments slightly childish. Tony is obviously a concerned memeber of the community, and has just as much right to spend 5 mins writing a post as you do.
I came across this page as part of reasearch for a street light redesign project that I have been set for my degree. Turning street lights off is not the answer. Paul Sargent needs to really look at what is causing the carbon emissions. Poor design of the lights is a huge factor, the infrastructure is old and needs updating. But for the moment, as has been said, Sodium vapour are some of the most efficient. In 5 years LED may be a viable alternative, but the are still largly inefficient and produce the wrong sort of lumionsity. Street lights are an essential part of the communinty and provide a sence of security, and safety. Maybe the council should look at the inefficiency of its own office to cut carbon emmisions befor turning off what i would consider and essential public safety measure. As a side point Alan, I felt your 'dig' at other peoples comments slightly childish. Tony is obviously a concerned memeber of the community, and has just as much right to spend 5 mins writing a post as you do.
Posted by: Astrodoug, Oxfordshire on 8:23pm Mon 24 Mar 08
I think personally we are wasting energy by having half of these lights on in less built up areas. I have an observatory here in oxfordshire I would love to see the noise I get from the horizon decrease. But the lights do not need to be switched off in most places. There are very cheap alternates to replacing the lamps, sticking lower wattage bulbs in and then putting a reflecing shade around the lamp will give the same output onto the intended area. From a light pollution aspect also, the new medical factory that was built near downs road in witney has been extremly rude in reply when i approached them concerning the 10,000 watts of energy being directed at the sky (they are witney's #1 light waster). Wood green school new sports facilities are number 3 on the list.
No amount of filters I put on instruments will put and end to this misery, and its a shame, this observatory has been here for 75 years.
I think personally we are wasting energy by having half of these lights on in less built up areas. I have an observatory here in oxfordshire I would love to see the noise I get from the horizon decrease. But the lights do not need to be switched off in most places. There are very cheap alternates to replacing the lamps, sticking lower wattage bulbs in and then putting a reflecing shade around the lamp will give the same output onto the intended area. From a light pollution aspect also, the new medical factory that was built near downs road in witney has been extremly rude in reply when i approached them concerning the 10,000 watts of energy being directed at the sky (they are witney's #1 light waster). Wood green school new sports facilities are number 3 on the list.
No amount of filters I put on instruments will put and end to this misery, and its a shame, this observatory has been here for 75 years.
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