Allspares (Auto) Ltd.

I may be cynical – no, I am cynical, because I rarely believe the reasons large companies/organisations give us for their actions – at least not the main reasons they put forward.  Take for instance the switching off of motorway lighting between junctions 10 (Luton) and 13 (Milton Keynes) on the M1.

The primary reason given by the Highways Agency is to reduce CO2 emissions, closely followed by a reduction in Light Pollution for residents who live close to the motorway.  Now don’t get me wrong, both of these are admirable reasons but let’s face it, it’s really about saving money, both for the energy motorway lighting consumes and maintenance costs.

Although they state they will be saving a considerable amount of money and investing it into other worthwhile areas, strangely, no definte figures (at least non I could see) were offered nor what precisely, they would be spending the savings on!

Personally, I am very much in favour of turning off lights during certain hours when the vast majority of people are asleep as the benefits are definitely there; for example:

• Reduced energy consumption
• Less maintenance
• Lower CO2 emissions
• No light pollution (for those of us that like to see stars)

Obviously safety & security are issues but unlit main roads are nothing new, and people should drive according to the road conditions, so it might mean they slow down a little; and, as far as security is concerned, most modern CCTV systems are able to operate in low to zero light conditions.

I know that CO2 is an area of concern but these days it’s reduction is used as an excuse for almost every piece of legislation or action from companies and organisations everywhere.

Yes of course we want to protect our climate and the figures provided by the Highways agency of 810 tonnes of CO2 are impressive BUT…. stop treating everyone as stupid.  We are all aware why this, and for other measures which are being taken around the country – to save money.