Aint global warming a wonderfull thing...........

Bah. I'm not convinced of any of it. Too many vested interests in 'green' schemes now.

Climate change is normal. There is no risk to the planet only to the bottom line of many multinationals and the taxable income of governments.

I think it's a good idea too. It only says 'where there is little need for them' but there is far too much light pollution and I agree, you can't see the stars, which is a shame. Couldn't they have some kind of solar panels on the street lights so it's not wasting energy. Must be an awful waste how it is currently.

if they took all the street lights down, moved all the pointless signs and spent the money they would have spent on leccy filling pot holes and improving road surfaces surely they would end up reducing deaths / casualtys in the long run as there would be less to hit / cause loss of traction?

how about using solar power and wind turnbine things like they do to keep the speed warning led signs powered up?

Too much light pollution imho. How about turning every other light off?

The "Big red switch" solution the're proposing won't discriminate between accident blackspots, difficult junctions and the more straightfoward sections - I think accidents will go up.

I don't really think its practical to live in cities and expect the environment conditions to emulate the more remote parts of the countryside - it just not practical.

I suppose it won't be long before there suggesting mid week matches are moved to afternoons and the landing lights at airports are turned off. Hmmmm ?

Judging by the replacement cycle for lamp standards that our local council follows we'll wait a long time for new technology to be introduced. It was only last year that they only fully replaced the rotting concrete 1950's sodium jobs in the side roads -

If money were no object then two bulb halogens ( A low wattage and a high) with proximity switches would do the job. Bearing in mind that 10 % of power generated is lost in the transmission system, there might be the savings there, eco and financial, to fund solar panels to exclusively drive the low power bulb.

Wouldn't cranking up the voltage and reducing the amps reduce the generating capacity needed ? - this is what I believe the major suppliers are already doing (And staying just within EU law) on the domestic circuits now - just look at the voltage on your computer's EPS ! Or reducing the cycle frequency from 50 to say 15 hertz.

If they do go ahead with the "BRS" idea then the power generators will not be happy. It may involve them in capital expenditure i.e. improved switching and smoothing systems and substitution of fast spool up systems e.g. gas turbines for boilers. They will have to turn down/off a large amount of their night time capacity most of which will be stuff which can't be throttled too well without technical difficulty and economic cost e.g. nuclear and coal fired. And just imagine the surge when the kettles go on at 05.00 - 0700. I don't think the implementation of this idea is going to be as cost free as many of the proponents are saying. Hmmm ?

Nick,

13/02/08

It's bad science, because they're one of the main overnight users of base load, as CC says.

And what's all the fuss about anyway; we've been doing this up here for years now.

I hate the new style "brighter" lighting that is used and find sodium light much easier to drive under and sleep in proximity to.

Turning every other street lamp off could be quite a good thing. Turning them all off however would defeat the point, which was to reduce crime on the streets.

There was a proposal made by the Russians, reported in the Telegraph a couple of years ago, to light the streets in outback Syberia using reflected moonlight from a giant orbiting reflector (Kit-Kat wrappers stuck together)

Now that would really P*ss-off the eco-mentalists and astronomers.

Nick,

14/02/08

In Soviet Russia, Moon Light You!!!

Presumably the standard form of Valetine's Day greeting on shift sign-off at the tractor factory in downtown Novosibirsk ?

Nick,

14/02/08

A classical Russian Reverse joke actually.

Well I wouldn't want any lights turned off where I live, it wouldn't be safe :(

Great idea, turn the lot out. I grew up in a village with no street lights but when the townies bought up all the nice cottages they took over the local council then campaigned for streetlights & got them, next they returfed the village green & stopped the annual bonfire as it wiould have ruined their precious grass.

Im totally in agreement to significantly reducing lights, if your worried about crime get your own outside light ! Personally Im guessing many of the chaavs are scared of the dark & petty crime might actually reduce

Note the 2 A's in chaavs is intentional as briskoda wont let you type *****

Im totally in agreement to significantly reducing lights, if your worried about crime get your own outside light ! Personally Im guessing many of the chaavs are scared of the dark & petty crime might actually reduce

Having an outside floodlight isn't much use if you live in a flat or have to park your car a distance from your home. I'm not overly concerned about the safety of my property but my car and my personal safety would be at significant risk under a lights out proposal.

Its fine if you have consensus to switch lights off locally but a blanket lights on or off at certain times is unpalatable to me.

That's quite apart from how badly sited personal arc lights are a road safety hazard, and street lights aren't.

thats just plain stupid. theres a village near me that doesnt have any street lights at all. being its fairly out in the sticks when its night out there, its pitch black!

the local residents dont go out much after dark for fear of attacks from local yobos. some of which actually travel from other areas to go there!

i think if they want to cut energy useage then they should also look at shops and offices that constantly leave their lights on. that is if its truely down to cutting back on useage that is. if its really about saving money then i think the one light on one light off route is the way to go. but only in certain areas at certain times.

by doing this blackout route they would simply make some areas no gos after dark! sort out the communties first before worrying about lighting!