Overheight lamp before being shortened
Reporter: Stuart Littleford
Oldham Council have agreed to reduce the height of some newly installed lamp posts in Dobcross after residents contacted Saddleworth News to say they were far too high and were causing them sleep problems.
Residents, on Briarfields in the village, explained that the replacement posts were far higher than the previous ones and said the much brighter white light was “disturbing their sleep” due to the fact the light was now falling into their bedrooms from a much greater height.
Lamp after being shortened
Some residents claimed the lampposts were more than twice the height of original cast iron ones that had been converted from the old Victorian gas lamps in the late 1950s.
One lighting column was so tall that the light head was positioned halfway up between the branches of a large tree blocking out most of the light to a pathway at the side.
Lamp with the tree
One elderly resident who contacted Saddleworth News, but didn’t want to be named said: “The replacement columns are unusually high for a residential street, they look as high as some motorway lights and very strange to see in a small village street, when it’s windy you can see them swaying around quite a lot - they do look a bit comical to be honest.
“The old cast iron lamps were at the right height, but these new ones are making the brighter light shine straight down into our bedrooms, I’m finding it a bit difficult to sleep at night now.”
Saddleworth News contacted Oldham Council and a spokesman told us: “Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
“The council’s PFI street lighting service provider have reviewed the lighting on Bairfields in Dobcross and are making appropriate arrangements to progress actions already identified in the programme of works to reduce the height of the columns to five metres.
“The columns will also be painted black and we will also check the lighting levels on nearby properties to ensure they are below the appropriate guidance levels.”
Saddleworth News understand that OMBC Lighting contractors have now removed around a metre from both of the lamps that were causing the issues.
I live in Grotton. I had to buy blackout blinds after new lamps were installed, It was far too light in the bedrooms to sleep!
I have the same problem on Arthurs Lane, Greenfield. There’s a lamp only feet away from my bedroom windows. A thin black damper has been put on but it’s made little difference. Also since the last power cut, the light is on during daylight hours as well. Why can’t Oldham Council become more energy efficient and turn the damn things off at midnight? - this is what Nottingham and Rushcliffe Borough Councils do. Why do they want to turn night time into day anyway - all it does is provide enough light to allow criminals to see what they’re doing! At least if they had to use a torch, we’d be alerted to the fact that someone was up to no good!