Street lights dimmed to protect wildlife corridor

STREET lights along the section of road between Melksham Police Station and Semington Bridge, have been dimmed to protect wildlife, whilst still providing lighting for residents’ safety.

At a full Melksham Without Parish Council (MWPC) meeting councillors reviewed options to dim the street lights at certain times, provided by an exterior lighting consultant.

This followed a request made by a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust representative, who asked for the lights to be switched off at night to protect wildlife such as bats.

Whilst MWPC supported this, they asked Wiltshire Council to dim the lights instead, to keep some visibility for residents using the road.

The lights now give the following coverage at the following times: 60% output, dusk to 8pm; 40% output, 8pm to 11pm; 30% output – 11pm to 6am; 60% output – 6am to dawn.

MWPC clerk Teresa Strange said, “The parish council were happy to support this request for lights to be dimmed on this stretch of the Semington Road as it’s part of the historic route of the Wilts & Berks Canal, and still a wildlife corridor.

“With the planned enhancement to be a bee route for pollinators, this request for the lights works, is in tandem with the other measures which include planned wildflower planting, less grass cutting, and no weed spraying.

“The road was bypassed by the A350 some years ago and has restricted access for vehicles, and only a couple of residential properties on this stretch, but is very well used by pedestrians, cyclists and runners to access the Kennet & Avon Canal, and is part of the new Active Travel cycleway improvements put in by Wiltshire Council last year, with government funding to improve the route between Melksham and Hilperton.”

To ensure residents using the road can still see at night time, Teresa said, “Following the closure of the Somerset Arms, there may be more Semington residents walking this stretch to access pubs like the New Inn and Milk Churn, and the parish council amended the plan to have the lights dimmed rather than turned off completely. They were also given further information that bats need some form of lights for feeding, as they attract insects.”