Public left in dark as bulbs obsolete
HUNDREDS OF LIGHTS OUT OF ACTION DUE TO CHANGE IN TYPE OF BULB
UP to 200 public lights in Bray are out of action due to the relevant bulbs becoming obsolete.
This came up as part of a discussion of a notice of motion by Joe Behan, looking for the repair of a public light at 189 Richmond Park.
The response was ‘ there is no public light outside 189 Richmond Park. There is a facility for the public who know where the faults are located to report the fault at SSE Airtricity Utility Solutions by identifying the pole on a map or by the pole number.
Cllr Behan said that he is sure that there is a light at that location. ‘ This is a wider problem which hasn’t been highlighted enough,’ he said. ‘ Throughout the county there are 300 to 400 public lights not working. This is because of a changeover of the type of bulb. The older one is no longer being manufactured. There was a comprehensive report gen in Wicklow and hopefully this is in hand.’
He said that 150 to 200 of the lights are in Bray. ‘You only have to drive through estates to see there are plenty out of action. Are there immediate plans to resolve this? It’s a danger to the public.’
Engineer Liam Bourke said that he has offered assistance to and is engaging with the roads section. He wondered if members would consider it appropriate to use their funds. Mr Bourke said that the lamp-heads need to be totally changed, at a cost of hundreds, as opposed to €20 for a bulb change. He said that even more will go out of action this year.
‘It’s a big problem, and looking at the report it’ll get worse rather than better unless we take action,’ said Cllr Behan. He suggested making the replacements a capital expenditure to be repaid over time. ‘It’s unconscionable that people paying property tax can’t even be assured that the public light outside their house will be working. It’s a crisis and it’s going to get worse.’
Cllr Steven Matthews said that this is a national issue, not just affecting Wicklow. He said that he would be reluctant to dip into Bray’s own small amount of funding. Cllr Matthews said that there would be better economies of scale for a national body.
He proposed that the council write to the Minister for the Environment on the matter, Cllr Fox seconded the motion.