Town centre lights on 24 hours a day (From Southend Standard)

Basildon town centre lights on 24 hours a day

11:30am Friday 24th August 2012 in Echo News By Luke Lambert

THE bright lights of Basildon are causing a row – as some are staying on during the day.

The antenna lights, which stick out of the ground in the town centre and look like something from a science-fiction film, have been spotted as being on in the day, despite the bright sunshine.

The lights were put up alongside CCTV camera towers in 2010 as part of a £750,000 regeneration scheme.

But one set of lights are faulty and resident Peter Farrell has seen them kept on day and night for at least a month.

Peter Farrell, from Bartlow Side in Pitsea , has rung both Basildon and Essex County Councils to get them turned off and help save money and energy, but has so far had no luck.

Mr Farrell, 69, said: “The lights infuriate me and I feel like the problem won’t be resolved. The lights are there every day bright as ever despite the high temperatures we have been having. I find it incredible the money we have to pay to the council is being thrown away in such a way. I appreciate they have to be on some of the time, but 24/7 makes no sense.”

The light clusters are made up of six stems with a light at the end of each of them. The faulty cluster is the one near the Primark clothes store in the town centre.

Opposition Labour councillor Andrew Gordon, who represents Nethermayne ward, said: “It’s ludicrous if the lights have been on for so long with nothing done by the council. They need to look at where they are wasting money across the borough and combat this by focusing on where attention is needed. I just hope they are fixed as soon as possible to stop unnecessary wastage.”

A spokesman for Basildon Council said: “There are four of these main lights in the town centre which are controlled at the Basildon Centre.

“There is a fault with the one opposite Primark which is why it is constantly on when it should not be. The other three lights are not on during the daytime.

“We are aware of the issue and are dealing with our technical services team to fix the problem.”