Street lighting for free!!

Probably get shot down for this but i just cannot understand why street lighting isn't free as i would say its a very important safety matter. The big electric companies should squash all charges for street lighting, after all they could afford it the money they make from Joe public.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

Erm.... because it would reduce their profits

Re: Street lighting for free!!

Profits should not come before safety. But it will it always does.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

We have two street lights in the whole village so it wouldn't cost them much here

Re: Street lighting for free!!

We dont have any street lights here where I liveits in total countryside and very rural
The local town though has streetlights but I dont think they need half of them,I think they could do away with half of them altogether. Theres so much light pollution in towns and cities you can see the "glow " from miles away.
But I can see that theyre very good for safety reasons just that I think theres far too many of them,I mean for instance down main roads theyre all the way along the edge well why? these dont need to be there.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

The street lights in our county have been replaced with what I believe are mostly LED lights, although I read that the type of lighting used can vary in different places. It's all radio controlled too and can be turned on, off or dimmed/brightened at varying times of the evening or night via VHF radio signals.

All this gives a worthwhile saving of energy, which subsequently means running costs are lower. Far fewer watts of electricity are needed to run the system, meaning less of the carbon pollution that generating electricity can produce.

That's probably as good as it will get. Not free but less expensive than it would have been if the lamps hadn't been changed.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

Yours sound the same as the ones they are installing round here Mart. They are able to dim them or turn them off at will. I understand they are not going to leave them on all night though.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

Educate me. In Pommieland, is there some direct charge to residents for street-lighting ?

Here in my part of Aus, local councils decide on the location of lights - usually in consultation with nearby residents.
Council then pays the electricity-provider as part of their total electricity bill for libraries, offices, sporting venues, carparks and so on.

Ultimately, of course, the ratepayers do pay as part of their general rate.
But there is no direct, identifiable charge.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

Hi PS there is no separate charge for street lighting it is part of 'Council Tax' .

Re: Street lighting for free!!

Hi

Yes, it is part of Council Tax, but in order to save money Councils are starting to turn them off.