Street lights in non adopted road

[tigermad]

I have been living on a newish housing estate for the past four years.

The street light right opposite my house is a right PIA!

It stays on for about 30 seconds then goes off for 30 seconds and so on!

I tried reporting this to the council about a month ago and they said it is the builders responsibility since the road is not adopted (not adopted after 4 years )

Anyway I called the builders up and the lay took my details and said we will look into it. 3 weeks passed and nothing happened.

So I called again the beginning of last week and spoke to a gentleman. He said they are doing lighting checks over the next 2 weeks in my area. He didnt even check my address (i only told the lady on reception my address).

Where do I go from here? Because of the dark nights I cannot even see my front door to put my key in the lock. My car has to be parked on the road and because it is pitch black half the time I fear someone will plough into it when whizzing past, the road is quite narrow.

I have my wheelie bins down the alleyway between my house and the neighbours and when i go to put something in when its dark, my alley is pitch black.

OK you may think I am a moaning cow but after about 4 months of this happening it is becoming a real pain.

Can anyone suggest how I can get the builder to do something about it instead of ignoring me? Maybe I should try to smash the light with a brick?

[paul1967]

Air rifle

[lowmans100]

Wow 4 years is a long time. Is the estate not complete or are the roads around your 'bit' used as access for another part of the development that is yet to be complete?

I can't understand why after 4 years the council would not adopt the road unless of course there is a lot of snagging to be done and the developer has not yet done it or there was an agreement in the planning consent that the developer is yet to complete. I remember a development near where I live where the developer agreed to build a new mini bypass and school building, they did want to build the school and wanted to give the council the money to do it themselves. The council refused to adopt the roads and in retaliation the developer refused to open the mini bypass. Of course the developer won as the council was getting bad press.

If the developer will not do anything you could try to get your neigbours to complain as well, and keep complaining at different times of the day every day to the same number. Eventually they will get sick of the calls and do something about it. I would try to find a number that will cause them the most disruption, not a switchboard but someones desk.

I like the idea of smashing it with a brick!

Good luck

[Alan_W]

Have you thought of fitting a light outside your house?

[tigermad]

Originally Posted by Alan_W

Have you thought of fitting a light outside your house?

I have an outside light just above my door. But unless I buy some kind of light sensor it is not on when I get home.


But why should I fork out buying lights so I can see my car and down the alley when the one that is there should blo*dy work! If there wasnt one there then I would not have a problem.

Maybe the builders can buy them for me?

[DVD-Man]

Do you have a roads and lighting faults hotline for your area?

There are ones near me so maybe try that.

Liam

[tigermad]

Originally Posted by DVD-Man

Do you have a roads and lighting faults hotline for your area?

There are ones near me so maybe try that.

Liam

Hi Liam

I think they are all council based as far as I can see, so no good for me unfortunately

Did you buy the house?

If so your solicitor will have all the details about who is responsible.

I bought a flat on a new estate which was built in phases over two years, my flat was on phase one and everything was fine as it was a straight dead end road with flats built either side. Phase two was basically more homes and a t junction onto "my" road. Problem being the council never painted any give way lines or put up any signs and hadn't adopted the road or so they said.

After three years things started to get silly with cars driving towards my end of the estate being cut up by the newer residents pulling straight out into our path.

I rang the council and told them I'd been knocked off my bike by one of the "newcomers" (fib) they sent a road safety person out to see me and photograph the junction, one week later we had road markings, give way lines and signs and life went back to normal.

Not sure if this tale helps or not?

You can get a sensor light for under a tenner at Wickes or B&Q and connect to your existing light fitting which is a simple job.

[Achy]

Phone the builders and tell them you're going to get a contractor to fix the light and that you'll be giving their details for invoicing.

If it is their legal responsibility they will have to pay it.

They'll get someone round pretty smartish !

[sim667]

get in contact with your lawyer from when your purchased the property, you need to find out who's responsibility it is to fix the light..... if its not the developer you may barking up the wrong tree.

[Phil57]

Much as I would by cheesed off with a street light that switches on and off every thirty seconds, can I ask why you think the STREET light is for your household benefit?
As said previously a light with a sensor only costs about £10!!............

[sim667]

Originally Posted by Phil57

can I ask why you think the STREET light is for your household benefit?

So the curtain twitchers can get a better view for their neighbourhood watch scheme

If its flickering on and of at night it could keep them awake...... mind you im one of those people who sleeps in silence in the pitch black.

[tigermad]

Originally Posted by Phil57

Much as I would by cheesed off with a street light that switches on and off every thirty seconds, can I ask why you think the STREET light is for your household benefit?
As said previously a light with a sensor only costs about £10!!............

OIII!!!

No need to get nasty.

Its not just the front door. As i said earlier if you have bothered to read my post I said I am concerned there will be an accident in the road. Not with just my car but maybe one of my neighbours cars. But maybe it doesnt matter if anyone is hurt.

I tell you what, maybe all the street lights should be turned off so everyone can be mugged, cars can be broken into easily and people can get run over in the street.

[Phil57]

Originally Posted by tigermad

OIII!!!

No need to get nasty.

Its not just the front door. As i said earlier if you have bothered to read my post I said I am concerned there will be an accident in the road. Not with just my car but maybe one of my neighbours cars. But maybe it doesnt matter if anyone is hurt.

I tell you what, maybe all the street lights should be turned off so everyone can be mugged, cars can be broken into easily and people can get run over in the street.

Sorry if you read my post as being nasty, I have reread it several times and do not see any nastiness in it.
............any way if you care to reread your original post, you mention firstly that you are not able to see your front door to put your key in the lock, you also mention that you car is parked in darkness and you also mention wheelie bins in a dark alley between your house and a neighbour.
As you have just made clear, the light is a street light.
That is correct, its not a light to help you see your front door, nor is it a light to aid your recycling efforts!!
I say again I would also be cheesed of with the light switching on and off every thirty seconds!!

[tigermad]

Street lights are there to aid people to see in the dark, they are not there to look pretty.

I am moaning builder is ignoring me. I told them nicely about the light twice now.