Street Lighting and Signs

Frequently asked questions

Can a light be re-sited or shaded? - light shining into room

If the light is on the same side of the road as the affected property it may be possible to provide limited shading on some types of lights.

If the light is on the opposite side of the road then it is not normally possible to achieve any shading as this would affect the light distribution onto the road.

The re-siting of lighting columns whilst not impossible is often difficult. The spacing between adjacent lights is critical for the distribution of lights on the road surface and therefore moving 1 light a few metres creates light and dark areas on the road.

Difficulties are also often encountered by moving a light to solve one problem, but causing another. Each request is therefore investigated on an individual basis.

If it is possible to move a light and there is no advantage or benefit to us, then the individual would be expected to pay the cost of moving the light.

Can this fault be given priority? (i.e. elderly living there)

Generally speaking the time scales for repair stated above are adhered to. If, however, particular local circumstances are highlighted when the fault is reported, every endeavour will be made to carry out repairs as quickly as possible.

Maintenance workers came but light was not repaired

The most likely cause of the light not being repaired on the first visit is a fault in the electricity supply cable which has to be repaired by London/Eastern Electricity Plc, the owners of the cables. (Similarly to the cables serving your house).

Nobody has been around to repair the light

For normal repairs the Contractor should respond within 5 working days. If however particular difficulties have arisen such as damage to the electricity supply cable actual repair may take longer on receipt of an enquiry such as this.

We will check the details of the light in question to ensure details of the fault were received and passed onto the Contractor and the reason as to why the light is not working.

Residents want new/more streetlights

We have the powers to install streetlights in the borough.

We have a small capital budget for the installation of new lights but there is a large backlog of requests awaiting installation.

An assessment of each request will be carried out to determine how it meets the objectives of the authority which are set out in The Local Transport Plan. It will then be given a priority order in the list of requests awaiting installation.

We have a street light out

This will have failed either because a lamp or electrical component has failed or there is a problem with the electricity supply.

Please give details of where the streetlight is located: street or road name and the house or property nearest to the light. If possible please also give the Street Light number - this will be a number such as A01, located about 3m up the column.

Whilst the majority of lights are the responsibility of us, some are the responsibility of and maintained private landlords and Housing Trusts.

We have lived on this new estate for some time now. Why have the lights not been put on?

Where the Developer has entered into an adoption agreement with us, the estate road is construct to a specified standard.

On completion of the works, the streetlights would normally be switched on and run by the Developer in stages as the estate is built and the houses occupied.

After a maintenance period of approximately a year, the streetlights are adopted.

Where no such agreement is entered into with us, it is the Developer's responsibility to have the lights switched on and maintained.

When will the faulty streetlight be fixed?

Details of the fault will normally be reported to our maintenance Contractor who repairs the lights on the same working day as it is reported.

Repairs to normal faults will be completed within 5 working days of the Contractor receiving the information.

For emergency situations the contractor will be on site within 2 hours of the report.

For other situations where there is a greater risk of danger (but it is not an emergency) then attendance on site will be arranged within 24 hours. These situations will, for example, include lights on pedestrian crossings, busy road junctions or flights of steps.

Faults with the underground cable network supplying electricity to the light may take longer to locate and repair.

Why are so many lights out for so long?

The majority of single lights that are out are repaired within 5 working days of being reported to the Contractor.

Where a fault occurs in the underground electricity supply cable serving the lights this can unfortunately take longer as it may be necessary to put other customers off supply in order to carry out the repair.

In this situation, notice has to be given to these customers (7 days for domestic customers and 14 days for commercial customers) before the electricity supply can be disconnected thus delaying the repair.