Street lighting FAQs

1. Why are you replacing the street lighting in the borough?

We know that street lighting is very important to residents, businesses and visitors alike. Good, reliable lighting not only makes it safer for road-users and pedestrians, but also has a positive effect on crime detection and reducing the fear of crime. The new lighting is carbon and energy efficient which will bring substantial savings to the borough.

We’ll be able to control the lighting levels and the times when lighting is on from a central computer system for individual streets. This will help us all continue to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, while also providing street lighting to meet the needs of each individual neighbourhood.

2. You have recently installed the new LED lights in my street, but they are on during the day. Why is this?

The new LED street lights ‘day burn’ until they come under control of the Central Management System (CMS). This is a completely normal part of the installation process and can last a few weeks. It is safer having them on during the day than off at night.

Day burning can also occur when there is a fault with a street light. If a light is day burning and it has not been newly installed, please report it here.

3. I understand you are replacing the lighting in my street. I would like you to move the column when you do the work as it would be better in a new location.

The programme for replacement of all lighting in the borough is designed on the basis of placing the new column in the same hole that we take the old column out of. We are unable to move the column as this would change the design specification. You may make an application for a column to be moved at your expense via the Contact page on our website, however movement of columns needs to be reviewed on a case by case basis. In some instances we only replace the lantern on top of the column and would not therefore move the column as part of the works.

4. The new street lighting you have installed is too bright and shines into my bedroom window. What can you do to assist with this?

The lighting is designed to a strict output specification and has to meet the right lighting level for your street. This is why it has the current level of brightness. We have nearly finished our street lighting programme which is due to finish by December this year. The new lights are designed to shine downwards and are more directional than the previous, ambient lighting.

We have been recording requests by individual residents to change lighting levels on specific roads so that a list of priority locations for dimming can be agreed with the council. If you would like to add your road to the list of requests to be considered by the council, please fill out a web enquiry form on the Contact page.

5. You have installed new street lighting in my street but I can no longer see my front door when I arrive home in the evening.

The lighting is designed to a strict output specification and has to meet the right lighting level for your street. This is why it has the current level of brightness which cannot be changed. The lighting is specifically designed to light the footway and roads only.

6. The new lamp columns in my street are much higher than the previous ones. Why is this?

The basis for the street lighting design throughout the borough was to replace columns in their original positions, and not to install additional columns wherever possible, but we have to achieve a minimum lighting level. This can be achieved by putting a brighter, more widely focused lantern on a higher column where the existing columns were widely spaced for example. The lighting level for a road is influenced by the category of road, the volume of traffic using it, and the number of junctions. In this way, the column heights can vary in streets which are similar in appearance.

7. My street is very dark. Could you install more street lighting when you come to my street?

The lighting will be installed to achieve a specific level of brightness, which in most cases results in an improvement.