Street lights go out as Hardwicke goes green
An eco-friendly scheme to switch off street lighting in the early hours has been welcomed in Hardwicke.
The green initiative has been introduced by Gloucestershire County Council.
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Ian Butler and Andy Clarke
The authority has written to Hardwicke Parish Council asking for its co-operation in setting up the project.
The letter states: “The county council has been piloting a change in streetlight operation, involving turning off some lights during the early hours of the morning.
“As well as reducing energy consumption and costs, changing some streetlights to part-night operation will contribute significantly to the council’s aim to reduce carbon emissions as one response to climate change.”
The parish council has been asked to help identify which streets will see their lights switched off.
Streets will be judged on crime levels and traffic safety, while one light must remain on every 200 yards in 30mph zones.
It is hoped up to 40 per cent of lights can be switch to part-night operations, leaving them off between midnight and 5.30am.
A spokesman for Hardwicke Parish Council said: “We support this “green” initiative as long as the appropriate controls are put in place to monitor any negative impacts such as increased crime or road traffic impacts.
“This can only be a good thing from the environmental perspective as it will help reduce the Highways Agency’s carbon footprint.”
Alison Weston, 42, of Elmgrove Road East, said she didn’t have a problem with it.
She said: “We have to do something to tackle carbon emissions, and this seems a good way to do it.
“As long as they take safety into consideration, I can’t see it being a problem for people.”
Hardwicke Parish Council will discuss the proposals when they next meet in March, while local police say they will be involved in the consultation process. Anyone who would like to have their say on the subject should contact Hardwicke Parish Council by writing to Hardwicke Parish Council, The Coach House, Well Close, Coopers Hill GL3 4RZ.
Citizen Editor Ian Mean gives his view of the scheme:
We welcome the eco-friendly scheme to switch off street lighting in Hardwicke in the early hours.
It seems to us that it falls directly into line with our 10:10 initiative we are developing with key partners like Gloucestershire County Council to cut carbon emissions.
The parish council in Hardwicke support the idea and have been asked to identify which streets will see their lights switched off between midnight and 5.3oam.
It is very easy to reject this idea out of hand on the basis that it will encourage crime and have a negative effect on road safety where street lights are switched off in the early hours.
We do need to be positive about looking at every way we can to cut carbon emissions.
18 Comments
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by Joe K, Barton & Tredworth
Sunday, February 14 2010, 11:40AM
“You can see the Citizen is serious about economising, as they haven't posted the article and Ian Mean's comment above twice. It helps to make up for the Hardwicke incineration forum article disappearing yesterday (or maybe *that* was an economy measure as well).
But midnight is too early. I'd set if for 1am at the earliest.
(Oh, you *did* decide to delete it, TiG...)”
by Gloucester boy scout, Between Quedgeley & Hardwicke
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 7:21PM
“Arthur Wellesley, Gloucester
CIJ Journalist, Gloucestershire
Marcus, Tuffley
Parish Councillors are elected volunteers - They don't even get paid expenses.
They do it for free. That is the law.
City & County Councillors get paid and claim expenses!!
Check it out.”
by Arthur Wellesley, Gloucester
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 12:38AM
“Another Great Day of Depression for Hardwicke. Why not buy a few hundred static bicycles so all councilors generate electricity by pedaling all night. Just think.... there would no carbon footprint.
Of course I have an even better solution. It is, quite simply, stop breathing; or at least breathe less. The average person takes 24,000 breaths a day, breathing in approximately 6g of carbon dioxide, but breathing out around 800g during the same time. Over a year, you personally will add a net 290kg of CO2 to the atmosphere, just by exhaling. Multiply that by a global population of 6.5 billion and it adds up to a criminal 1.88 gigatonnes.
But we don¿t want to stop there. Let¿s get really ruthless.
Perhaps the most carbon efficient solution would be to eliminate those members of the population taking the most breaths and therefore expelling the most carbon dioxide. Well we have the final answer....Cull all the councillors as they pant a lot of hot air. Save a few million pounds all round.”
by matthew sidford, linden
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 11:09PM
“I think it's a good idea, providing thought is given to which lights are switched off (safety). It is a simple way of saving both tax payers money and reducing carbon footprint. Predictably, this idea has got the reactionaries all ranting as usual. Bristol Council mooted this idea 4 or 5 years ago - not sure if they ever did it though. Regarding crime - does anyone know if there is any research linking street lighting and crime reduction?”
by lyndyloo, hardwicke
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 10:33PM
“we also have a streetlight outside my sons bedroom so a switch off at midnight would be ideal.when we came here in1983 the lights always went off at midnight”