‘Hoodies’ bring end to street lamps row

11:49am Tuesday 1st January 2008

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A NEW type of hoodie is to be seen on the streets of Pendle.

Hoods are to be installed on street lights in Earby.

The move comes after residents complained new, brighter, taller lights were shining into bedrooms. The lights are designed to reduce crime by leaving less places for criminals to lurk.

But protests started last November after they were installed along the Heather Brow, Water Street and Red Lion Street areas.

Residents were also unhappy that galvanised steel lamp posts had been installed, instead of painted ones, in a conservation area.

County council engineers conceded alterations needed to be made to some problem sites and extra shielding has been proposed for some lights.

Martin Dunwell, county council engineering manager, said: "Residents' concerns regarding the relative height difference between the properties and the carriageway, and the potential for light spill into windows, has been noted.

"It is intended to replace the current bowl lanterns with full cut-off lanterns, with retention of the current column locations."

Engineers said they held site meetings with residents and councillors in June and July and had not been informed of any comments or observations by August.

County Hall has accepted that installing steel posts along Water Street and Red Lion Street was an oversight and black columns should be used. But because only a few replacements were necessary along Mill Brow Road, Birch Hall Lane and Heather Brow, galvanised columns could remain.

Previously Heather Brow had only a single column but two lamps had been proposed for either end.

The proposals are due to be debated at a Lancashire Local Pendle meeting at Briefield Community Centre next week.