9:20am Wednesday 11th March 2009
By Liza-Jane Gillespie
CHARFIELD has been chosen to take part in a pilot scheme that would see some of its street lights switched off during the night.
The trial is part of South Gloucestershire Council’s efforts to try to cut carbon emissions, save costs and reduce light pollution.
It has set targets to reduce its carbon footprint by three percent each year. Last year street lighting contributed to 17 percent of the council’s carbon footprint.
Mark Rosher, chairman of Charfield Parish Council, said: "We share South Gloucestershire’s concern over reducing fuel costs and carbon footprints and we are happy to be taking part in this initiative.
"We will remain conscious of the needs of our parish and the concerns of our parishioners, but anticipate no insuperable problems and look forward to darker and starlit skies."
South Gloucestershire Council has said no street lights in vulnerable areas will be switched off, for example approaches to major junctions, pedestrian crossings, hospitals and 24-hour emergency service sites, roundabouts and speed humps, areas with CCTV surveillance equipment and sheltered housing for the elderly.
If there are any issues then the lights will be switched back on and both the parish council and South Gloucestershire will be monitoring the pilot.
Cllr Heather Goddard, South Gloucestershire Council’s executive member for communities, said: "This trial will help the council make informed decisions in the future about whether there should be a wider switching off of some further street lights at night.
"Other councils around the country have embarked on successful pilots and we will be closely monitoring our own."
South Gloucestershire Council said there were no firm plans to extend the pilot at the moment and that it would only do so after consulting with other communities first.
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