Vic Govt. scraps street light plan

[Davi5678]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieu-axes-street-lights-conversion-20120504-1y4je.html

[casstony]

I reckon that is worth having a whinge about - Broken Promises Baillieu.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Yep, I fail to see why I have to pay more to leave street lights on ALL night. Take a drive around my suburb after 1am and nary a car is to be seen, let alone anyone walking about. Yes, I do have a vested interest to see lights go out after 1am and have taken this issue up with my council, using cost factors as the reason. Council couldn't give a "toss" as they would rather up the rates than cut costs. Nothing new there then! :mad2:

[ballaratdragons]

I totally agree.

Our town is off the track (not a throughfare) and at night we may hear 1 car, 2 if it gets busy, and never see anyone walking around at night, because no-one does.

It's just waste.

But these lights that BallyHoo was going to fit (and now isn't), are they better or worse for light pollution?

[Davi5678]

To be honest I'm not sure what effect they would have had. Hopefully if they ever get installed down the track, they will have properly designed reflectors.

[MrB]

It's even worse here in Rockingham.
We have footpaths/cycleways all around the coast here, and the entire length of it, maybe 10 - 15km worth at a guess... is lit up like a xmas tree all night.
The light poles are closer spaced than on any road, maybe 2 or 3 poles per 1 street pole and there are two lamps per pole!
I have a photo here somewhere. Will post if I find it.
It is insane.

[skysurfer]

The 'age' article tells about canceling replacement of (presumably high-pressure) mercury vapor lamps by fluorescents. The latter are way more efficient (80-100lm/W) then the Hg-vapor ones (< 50 lm/W).
This is tempting for town councils to make a compromise: more light , less energy. A good idea as long the lamps are really shining onto the streets and not in neighboring gardens or, worse, upward.
The so called 'design' fixtures such as the transparent ball shaped ones which shine 360º around (and upward) or upward shining lamps with a reflector above it (but not all), do more worse than good.

[MattT]

The next headline...

Victorian Government Scraps Victoria...

Premier says Victoria cost's too much and will be scrapped before the next election.
I agree with Tony. Another broken promise, my wife is a secondary high school teacher too.
Matt

[TrevorW]

Streetlights on all night, they have to use that excess power produced somehow

Same as solar rebate as soon as the Govt introduced the Carbon Tax there goes you solar rebate schemes

Who is fuxxxxx who

[Stardrifter_WA]

Matt, the Federal government (of all persuasions) wants to see the states scrapped and local governments take over and are working towards that goal, year by year. That has been a long term agenda, duplication being the word of the day. Local governments are difficult to deal with now, let alone with more power.

So, don't laugh Matt, that is coming to a town near you!

[Davi5678]

Do we really need a three tiered government? It's really just a hangover from colonisation.