Five road lights have been installed in a West Cumbrian village designed to be friendly to wildlife and reduce light pollution as part of a new scheme.
The 43 sodium road lights around Low and High Lorton, near Cockermouth, are owned by Allerdale Borough Council and were installed in the 1980s.
While having low energy efficiency levels by today’s standards, they are becoming a maintenance issue and cast light upwards and wastefully into the night sky.
Lorton Parish Council and the Dark Skies Cumbria Project carried out a survey of residents in December 2020 to ask whether they supported changing the lights to more energy efficient and Dark Skies friendly ones.
Eighty per cent supported new LED dark skies friendly lights and a part-night switch off to help protect wildlife active after dark.
While half of respondents were happy to have some of the lights turned off completely, a fifth still wanted lighting retained for safely walking around as there are few footways in the village.
The five new lights have been introduced as part of a pilot scheme.
They are set at 2,200 Kelvin – a warm colour temperature lantern – with dimming by 50 per cent from 9pm, switching off completely at midnight and back on at 6am.
It is expected that they will cut electricity consumption by around 70 per cent, angle the light beam downwards where it’s needed, prevent sky glow light pollution and reduce maintenance costs given the age and condition of many of the existing lights.
Steve Irlam, Lorton parish councillor, helping with the lighting changes, said: “Working with Jack Ellerby the Dark Skies project officer and Allerdale Borough Council, we’ve picked the core area of the village near the school, shop and village hall to try the new improved lights.
“Before the nights draw out we’d welcome feedback from residents before we look to replace any more of the lights we think are still needed.
“We will have to be pragmatic with local authority budgets being very tight. Some of the lights won’t be able to be replaced, including those connected to Electricity North West timber poles where their risk assessments do not now permit other equipment being attached.”
The parish council was facing the prospect of having to take on responsibility for all the road lights from Allerdale council, but that decision was reversed.
The parish council was concerned about the age and condition of the lights, electricity and maintenance costs and the impact on the parish precept costs on villagers.
Jack added: “Changing road lighting can arouse strong, differing views so it’s really important in my role to listen and work with each individual community.
“The good thing is with LED technologies developing so rapidly, and manufacture’s now taking on board Dark Skies and wildlife friendly requirements, there’s usually a solution for each situation to accommodate a balance of residents views.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with Lorton Parish Council and the wider Melbreak communities as we all want to make the local environment a better place. If feedback on these new lights is favorable, I hope we can change some more of the poor lights to enhance the star laden night sky that local people and visitors so cherish.”
