White street lights

[jbond]

We've just had two street lights replaced on Musley Lane. The old concrete pillars were removed and replaced by metal poles on Monday morning. They're a bit shorter and have some shielding of the light. But the light is very bright and very white. What's that all about? Is it an experiment and we can expect it to spread? Is it to do with reducing light pollution?

I wouldn't mind especially, but although there is some light shielding in some directions looking from anywhere lower than a first story window from the other side of the street, the light is almost blinding.

[Mel]

think it's to do with light pollution. In Birmingham they have replaced all the lights I think. They save electricity I think?

[cchallis]

the newer street kigklts are either SONT blubs (white light), instead of SOX blubs (orange), they even could be LED, SOX is old tech, and less energy efficient. The column would have been a old CU colum, no-one make coincrete columns anymore, I should know use to work for CU Phosco down in Amwell

[Northsider]

There was a topic on this some time ago when some old columns/lights in Quincey Road were replaced. Budgets never stretch to replacing all in a street nowadays which is why it all looks a bit of a mish mash. As for replacing the "blubs" it's not much to cry over.

[jbond]

The column would have been a old CU column, no-one make concrete columns anymore

Sorry, "CU"? The old columns (and the others yet to be replaced) look like a formed material of a sandy colour. Maybe not concrete, but it looks like some kind of stone based material rather than metal based. The new ones look like galvanised steel. Bizarrely, the sign warning about dog litter has been put so high up, you can no longer read it!

I'm not sure the white lights are much brighter than the old yellow, but they do feel like there's more glare. No big deal mostly unless the unshaded direction points straight into your garden or windows across the street, in which case it feels like somebody's got a security light that's pointing at your property and permanently on.

I haven't yet been up late enough to tell if they turn off after midnight like the yellow ones.

[treacleminer]

"CU" aka Concrete Utilities, based in Great Amwell, makers of lamp posts , railway sleepers, marina pontoons etc.

[jasmine98]

Yes, most of these lighting columns were the concrete 'Avenue 4D' design, many of them dating from the mid 1930's so are now probably time expired. I too used to work at CU for many years.

[Mel]

they do! well in our road they do.