We’re just poles apart
Fury as residents claim council is moving their vintage lampposts to posher streets nearby
‘Not much left to be proud of’
A COUNCIL has been accused of treating some residents as second-class citizens by removing their historic street lights – and moving them to smarter areas instead.
Officials say the wroughtiron lampposts, which date from before the Second World War, are being taken away for safety reasons and will be ‘recycled’.
But residents in Knowle in Bristol claim the posts are in fact being restored and moved to more upmarket areas.
Workers arrived and removed five from Beckington Road, replacing them with modern LED lights. Those living in the street claim they were told by the contractors that the posts were being installed in a more ‘ historic area of Bristol to enhance the surroundings’.
They believe this means the lights will now be seen in the streets of upmarket Clifton rather than their own.
One woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said: ‘They are removing our beautiful, original 1930s street lights and replacing them with black poles. We haven’t been consulted.
‘This reminds me of the 1980s and 1990s when parts of Bristol were asset-stripped and everything was sent to north Bristol in order to make Clifton look lovely. Bristol City Council should be ashamed of themselves. We don’t have much left in south Bristol, in terms of history, to be proud of.
‘We are second-class citizens over here – [the] council rides right over us.’ Another resident, Penny Docker, 77, said: ‘These lights have been part of the street since the houses went up, and a lot of us are going to be very, very angry.’ Mrs Docker, who has lived on the road since 1964, added: ‘If they can be refurbished, why not in our road?’
A council spokesman said the posts will be ‘recycled’, adding: ‘We have been changing columns in non-conservation areas which have been identified as health and safety concerns due to their older cabling. This work has been paused for further discussions with residents.’