Forum Topic

Street Lighting

My husband and I are unhappy to hear that Ealing Council have decided to dim the street lights after 10 pm as they think it will save money. This is surely a false economy. We were given the impression that the LED lighing would save money which was why they were introduced in the first place!Her are a few points to consuder before making any decision.Winter evenings especially are much darker since the LED lights were introduced.The LED lighting does not provide sufficient light to make one feel safe as they will be too dim to see properly when they are reduced after 10 pm.Streets are only swept once in every 6 weeks and we end up with piles of leaves which are slippery after rain. This could cause accidents!In winter when there is frost on the ground, walking in darkened streets will create a hazard.Walking through discarded rubbish is also a factor to consider. Bicycles attached to street furniture could cause people to trip.Crossing roads after 10 pm will be even more hazardous for residents, motorists may not be aware of people especially if they ars wearing dark clothing until it is too late.Dimmed lighting will be considered a godsend to ciminals, nice dark areas to conceal their activities. We have had recent reports of burglars in this area so hearing the strert lighting will be reduced even further is a great worry to residents.Please don't be penny wise and pound foolish, the lives of residents must be foremost in your minds. Do reconsider before making rash decisions.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3076d2 Comments

Well said Mark!I would add that our streets are not swept frequently nowadays, in fact I believe only once every 6 weeks. Piles of wet leaves coupled with dim lighting could be rather dangerous for residents, especially those not very mobile.As you say we are encouraged to use public transport later at weekends but who wants to venture out late when our streets are very badly lit, especially during winter months?

Jean F Fernandez ● 3074d

It was no secret about the LED and control that can be used on them.It is the flexibility that offers a cost saving but only where prudent to do so.But it does raise a few issues that will need to be made clear by Cllr Mahfouz, rather than the usual corporate style vague press release.He is one of many who have pontificated a 24 hour London, supports night public transport and the increase in population which invariably means a lot more people out and about at late hours.There is also a surge in crime.Streets with contra flow cycle lanes.After decades of Ealing being in the Dark ages with some areas barely lit, huge changes have been made in a short time.At the end of that comes high changes in technology which have slashed the use of energy and that has been taken advantage of.But these other changes are only feasible for many because of good street lighting.The consequences of blanket policy are rather high. So it does need to be made clear that places where low level crime is occurring remain lit well enough to minimise such. That roads with Cycle routes are better lit.  e..g. Chandos Ave is one of a few that is darker and more shadowy under LEDs and now has a rather dangerous cycle route running opposite to the one way for other vehicles.Similarly streets with poor pavements and trees need to be better lit as they can be lethal even for the fit and able. And there are a lot of poor pavements in this borough.So it needs to be made clear how this is actually applied.

Mark Kehoe ● 3074d