Street lights set to switch on an hour earlier

West Sussex County Council have announced this after they received enquires from residents asking why the street lights were not on in the early morning rush hour.

A spokesman for the county council said: “Residents who walk to work early in the morning have questioned why the street lights are not coming on while it is dark.

“The reason for this is that all street lights in part-night areas are programmed come on according to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

“During winter months, the lights come on between dusk and midnight and then between 5.30am until dawn.

“However, in summer when the clocks go forward to reflect British Summer Time (BST), the lights don’t. That is why during October it appears the lights switch on an hour later.”

Pieter Montyn (Con, The Witterings), WSCC’s cabinet member for highways and transport added: “The timings of the part-night street lights are factory set, so they cannot be changed once they are first installed. It is not a case of the County Council trying to penny pinch.

“As soon as the clocks go back, everyone will notice the lights coming on earlier at 5.30am.”

For more information visit http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/living/roads_and_transport/roads_and_footways/managing_the_highway_network/street_lights.aspx