"Street lights left on for far too long", says Norman Baker
Local Lib Dem MP, Norman Baker, has today launched his own light brigade following a stream of complaints from local residents about broken street lighting.
Residents from all over the constituency have contacted Norman concerning street lighting faults, with Polegate residents among the worst affected. The problem of the recent spate of faults is further exacerbated by the inordinately long delays that residents are enduring before faults are rectified. Investigations by the local MP revealed that the reason behind the delays lies predominantly in the fact that EDF Energy has repeatedly refused to enter into a Service Level Agreement with East Sussex County Council, which would specify exact deadlines for the repair of faults with mains electricity.
Norman has therefore written to both EDF Energy to support East Sussex County Council's call for a Service Level Agreement and the Department of Transport to request the implementation of an improved system to ensure effective street lighting maintenance. He is also asking all constituents experiencing problems with street lights to contact his office in Lewes.
Norman says:
"It is totally unacceptable that my constituents have to endure such long delays before faulty street lighting is fixed. Not only is faulty street lighting inconvenient, but it can make areas frightening and unsafe for the people who live there.
"From my investigations, it appears that the County Council are both identifying and reporting faults quickly, but are then powerless to force the electricity supplier, EDF, to undertake speedy repairs.
"Many other local authorities have entered into Service Level Agreements with their energy provider and this seems to me to be the most sensible way of ensuring a consistently high standard of service for local residents. I have therefore written to EDF Energy to urge them to draw up such an agreement with the council. I am also drawing the general problem to the attention of the Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling.
"My constituents should not be left out in the dark and I am asking any of them that are to contact me to let me know of any street lights that have been out for more than two weeks in order that I can get a full picture of the problem locally."
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
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