They have installed the lamposts in Canonbie Road over the last couple of days. They are giants - and with the slope of the hill look even more towering! Whilst they aren't the prettiest, they are not as obtrusive as I had feared.

And on the upside, Lewisham's 'rationalisation' of street signs will mean that when all the work is done, I'll get rid of two street signs slap bang in the middle of the pavement outside my house, replaced by just one (very tall!) lampost positioned neatly to one side.

That said, I still don't know what they are going to be like when switched on - and reading comments here I hope the new bright lights aren't going to broken nights sleep.

They are usually giant lampposts on main roads. Side roads seem to have lower lamps.

I like the new lamps. They give a bright white light.
I think they can be dimmed.

With a dimmer switch? Cool. I like the idea of street mood lighting.

This post was last modified: 18-09-2012 03:01 PM by lacb.

lol @ mood lighting
Sadly on a lot of roads they are stuck in the canopies of trees, winter should hopefully show what the lights can really do, once all the leaves are gone.

One of the new lamp posts in my road has a metal plate attached underneath the lamp, presumably to reduce the light entering the upstairs windows of the houses behind. I don't know if the need for the plate was identified in the planning stage (the houses are below pavement-level so the upstairs are lower, relative to the pavement, than 'normal' houses) or whether the residents complained after the lamp post was installed.

Either way, if you do suffer from a floodlit bedroom after the new posts are installed, it might be worth complaining and asking for a metal plate to be attached to the post.

Concerned to see Snazy's comments about the effect of the new street lights on the pavements in Church Rise & Westbourne Drive as they're now being installed on Sunderland Road which is a similarly wide road. From those already installed there appear's to be a very strange configuration. At the South Circular end there are 3 in a row on one side of the road while nothing on the other!

I wasn't aware canonbie road was a main road (although some drivers in the rush hour may beg to differ!) but these new posts are pretty much double the height of the existing lights, and look the same as those on honor oak park. Have we been given the wrong ones?

ladywotlunches,

I suspect you have been given the wrong lampposts!

Very interesting driving in the dark and wet this evening. I came up Church Rise (new lights) and found the road much worse illuminated than before. Because the light is so focused, it seemed like less of the road ahead was visible. It's a good thing I knew the humps were there, because I couldn't see them until I was almost upon them. It was a relief to turn into South Road with the nice, diffuse sodium lights lighting the whole road.

rshdunlop, I have to agree, driving up just gives spotlights.
While walking up, as its getting darker earlier now is unpleasant, very dark areas which im sure make vulnerable people feel very at risk indeed, very badly thought out indeed. Maybe once the leaves drop from the trees it will be slightly better.

As for Sunderland, I believe they are following the configuration that has been used on roads such as Preistfield, which has actually been quite successful. Be grateful they are not all in tree canopies like most others.

As for when they get turned on, im sure once they sort the water issue around the electrics they will get them turned on.

I really do hope a proper assessment is made of these lights over the winter. I know from experience that once the lights are in, they are reluctant to do anything about them, Waldram Park is a great example of this. Another road with lights in the trees.

I think it worth be worth contacting the powers that in a month or so, when the leaves come down, if things have not improved. Even then, it doesn't seem right that brand new lighting should only be really effective for at most half the year.

I agree totally.
I walk the streets with my bloomin great wolves, but even then there are some patches where you approach with caution. Not to mention cant see what the heck you are treading on

And what handsome wolves they are, if your picture is anything to go by.

It seems like this new lighting implementation is a curate's egg - only good in parts. Some people are really happy with their streets, others not. Those that aren't need to speak up. My road hasn't been done yet, but I'm prepared to complain about the ones that are quite frankly dangerous to drive on at night. Residents of Church Rise might also start to hear the screeching of brakes and thumpty-dump sound of drivers hitting humps they couldn't see.

Aaaah dont let the picture fool you lol. (thats the male)

I will become more vocal for sure as the trees start to drop, and as it becomes more apparent if it makes any difference. The spotlight effect is useless for a busy road, and if they have got it wrong, then they need to sort it out.

Hope you road goes on the good and not the bad side of reviews.

I came home in the dark last night. I found the lamps fine except where the light was obscured by nearby trees. Obviously, this will improve when the leaves fall, but will recurr next spring.

Yup they are fine where not obscured. But sadly as most were put in the canopies of trees on certain roads, as you say the window for unobscured street lighting is winter, the rest of the year is pants.

Cant wait for the leaves to fall, and the lighting to improve.

Last night, at the Forest Hill ward assembly the representative from Skanska accepted that Westbourne Drive and Church Rise were deemed by them as incomplete due to the poor consistency of lighting. It is good to know that these roads are examples of poor quality lighting that will not become the standard across Forest Hill.

That's really good to know, Michael, thanks.

I e-mailed Lewisham Council specifically about the lights on both Church Rise and Westbourne Road a few weeks ago and, to be fair to Skanska, had an e-mail response from Skanska (in much the same vain as above) within 2 days. Hoefully this means something will be done within the next month or so before it gets dark much earlier and the problem is exacerbated.

Brilliant news, thanks for the updates all.
Just having the trees in my front garden cut right back, so hopefully I will benefit further from any improvements on the lights.

Wonder what the time scale for this is.
I agree with goater, as the dark nights creep in (fast) its getting more and more important.