Protest over lighting work (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Protest over lighting work

8:00am Thursday 21st February 2013 in Andover

RESIDENTS in an Andover neighbourhood have protested over the way the county council have replaced antiquated street lighting.

When workmen came to replace the street lamp outside Vic Pain’s Trajan Walk home, he complained to Hampshire County Council that it was too close to his home.

It was the first in a series of blunders which meant it had to be moved and left a pile of rubble on a stretch of land which has been adopted by the homeowners.

Initially the lamp was placed two feet from his home and on top of a gas main, which could have been ruptured by the work.

The lamp is now in its rightful place but isn’t working properly.

“Now we’ve got all this muck over this land. It’s our land.

“I told the council, ‘you’re just heavy-handed with everything you’re doing’.

“The light still isn’t working.

There should be two street lamps providing light for us.

“It’s pitch black out there at night. I can’t see my hand in front of me outside,” said 73-year-old Vic, who has lived there for 11 years.

Councillor Mel Kendal, deputy leader and executive member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council, said much of the county’s street lighting is over 30 years old and in need of replacement.

The work is part of a programme to upgrade 150,000 street lights, illuminated signs and bollards.

“As part of this programme, in partnership with Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), about 2,230 lanterns and a further 2,903 lanterns and posts in Andover are being replaced.

“I was sorry to hear of the issue raised by the resident in Trajan Walk arising from their excavations.

“The contactor should not have left rubble on private land and I have been assured that any materials have now been removed from the area by the contractor.”