The Government in recent statements has admitted that there is insufficient co-ordination between advice given by groups such as the police on security lighting matters and the ILE guidelines, and local planning lighting restrictions by some councils. Those councils that do have lighting restrictions in local plan clauses do not rigorously apply them, partly through lack of communication. There are many cases where tilted floodlights have been used in amenities causing nuisance, despite local regulations.

  Furthermore, we should like to bring to your attention three points which we feel have not yet been completely covered by the proceedings of the committee so far.

1.  SPACING OF LAMPS

  An objection often raised by local authorities when asked about lamp types and upgrading of luminaires concerns spacing. It is claimed that cut-off lamps, which direct light only downwards, need to be closer together than old-stock types which spread light further, and often cause glare and skyglow. More columns equals higher cost!

  There are many examples where new "sky-friendly" lamps have been installed on the same columns as the old lamps they replace, and even (as for example on the M5) further apart than the previous lights.

  Motorways can use tall poles to obtain uniformity. This is inappropriate for local streetlights, where taller poles would put more light into bedrooms. Although well directed lighting can be retrofitted on existing columns, care is needed according to the local environment as to what type of light should be used in order to achieve the new, exacting standards of uniformity.

  It is common practice by councils when using high-pressure sodium directed lighting to use the types that have dished polycarbonate bowls, or to use types tilted to the horizontal. In both cases, such lights can be seen from great distances in open areas, and will have an effect upon the visibility of the night sky.

  They are then a blight on the night-time environment in the countryside and contribute to skyglow because of light travelling long distances at shallow angles though the lower atmosphere where it is most scattered. So the context in which the lights are installed is important.

2.  DIMMERS

  There are now a number of higher-efficiency well directed luminaires on the market, getting closer to the luminous efficiency of the low-pressure sodiums, and there is an increased interest in white-light sources which can be run at lower intensity to achieve the same degree of visibility.

  There are also now a number of commercial dimmer circuits available for use at times of reduced traffic flow. These have already been used in the city of Brno in the Czech Republic and experimental schemes are being trialled in the UK.

3.  THE CZECH REPUBLIC

  Astronomer Jenik Hollan, who was instrumental in the framing of the new Czech anti-light-pollution law, reports that "people are realizing for the first time that light intrusion is not inevitable", and that the measures have popular support. The Czech media have rallied behind the changes, "realizing that arguments in favour of current lighting practice find no advocates", and in Brno, for example, "low lighting levels (ie minimum-wattage, better directed lamps without glare) are not worse, but better than the high ones".