Has anyone else notice that the street lights are turning off earlier, at 23:40?
I watched them this week in Wheatfield and Bradley Stoke Way.
This isn’t even taking into account the 1 hour difference?
Bit concerning for people walking back from pubs etc.
According to South Gloucestershire Council (SGC), the turn-off time should be midnight +/- 15 minutes in winter, so 23:40 would be five minutes out of tolerance.
Just looked out of the window and ours are out at 23:42!
Concerns should be addressed to SGC Streetcare (01454 868000)
I noticed this when I was walking back from my brothers house at midnight. Glad I only live 3 minutes away, even I found it quite disconcerting and I’m over 6ft tall holding a baton torch!
I don’t understand why the lights go off an hour early in winter?
Don’t worry about it. It’s only a temporary effect.
It’s due to the “Equation of Time”, which is the difference between Solar Time (time measured by the sun, e.g. on a sundial) and Mean Time (time measured by clocks and watches). It’s caused by the eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit around the sun (the orbit is an ellipse, not a circle) and the tilt of the Earths axis.
This effect is at its greatest extent in early November when the Sun appears to run up to 16 ½ minutes “fast”. By late December the effect will be zero and by mid February the Sun will appear to be about 14 minutes “slow”.
Because the streetlights are triggered by sunset and sunrise this means that in early Nov they will turn on and off earlier then expected, “on time” in late Dec and later than expected by mid Feb.
If you watch the street lights over the next few weeks then you will see that they will tend to turn off closer to midnight, and in the new year a little after midnight.
I’m not sure the ones in my street went off al all last night, looked out the window about 3.30 and the one at the end of my road was on.
I don’t know about this sun tilt axis stuff, I can understand that affecting the turn on time in the morning as the sun comes up, somebody is flipping the switch too early. SGC are opening themselves up for trouble if something happens to somebody at night. Sheer bumbling and stupidity if you ask me.
Hmmm, just noticed that streelights in wheatfield have gone off sometime before 22.24….how ridiculous, they have obviously gone wrong after hours change! Not very good if people do not realise and are walking around on their way home
I looked out the window about 10.15 this evening (in Ellicks Close) and the lights were off already. Absolute madness.