Street lights go out as Hardwicke goes green
The green initiative has been introduced by Gloucestershire County Council.
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.
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