Following positive reports about good lighting practice in Newport from local astronomers Rosa Adams and Nick Hart, CfDS co-ordinator Bob Mizon travelled to South Wales to present two of CfDS' Awards of Appreciation. Not only have many cut-off lights been appearing in the city, but local council engineering head Brian Kemp ensured extra shielding near Nick's observatory.
Jessica Morden MP (Newport E.) has taken a keen interest in the issue of dark skies locally, and has promised support of the Campaign in Parliament.

In the photo: Jessica Morden MP, Joan Thomas (CfDS local officer, Cardiff area), Brian Kemp, &Bob Mizon.

On April 28th 2008, Bob Mizon and David Paul (CfDS Committee), presented an award to the Highways Agency in recognition of their revised standards (TA49 and TD34). These define the criteria for deciding whether roads should be lit and the type of lighting employed. In future we will see some new roads without lighting and some refurbishment where lighting is not replaced. Furthermore the classification for new and replacement lighting is now to the G6 standard (BSEN 13201-part 2) across the Highways Agency network. This category, which stipulates no light above the horizontal, was previously mandatory only in national parks.

Congratulations to Oxford Science Park and to lighting company Zeta Solar, for the installation of the triply environmentally-friendly Zeta Sunflower lights. The Zeta Sunflowers are (1) solar powered, (2) downward-directed (thus minimising any wasted light), and (3) employ dimming technology, such that the light dims when no-one is around over-night.
Presenting the award is Bob Mizon (right), to both Rob Horsfield of Oxford Science Park (left) and Phil Shadbolt of Zeta Solar (centre).

The West Midlands public transport operator, Centro, have been given a good lighting award for their unimposing, considerate lighting at Stourbridge Junction park and ride.
The lighting in the new car park at Stourbridge Junction park and ride has been specifically designed to face downwards so as not to create excess glare into the night sky. Project Manager Duncan Fry says "We chose environmentally friendly lighting and design in principle so as not to disturb our neighbours, but we are very pleased that local astronomers in the area will also benefit from the sympathetic illumination."

For more information, please see:

• Centro website
• The Express and Star

Tatworth and Forton Parish Council (who received their Good Lighting Award in September 2005) is in a very green and rural areabut, for safety reasons, there was a need to illuminate a narrowbrookside footpath used by the villagers. After much searching, andbeing aware of the need to protect the sky and wider environment fromwayward light, they discovered the Rutland 913 Windcharger, which issolar and wind powered (no need for a cable to be laid). The lamp itselfhas a very slightly curved glass, thereby minimising upward lightemission. Joy discovered that Marlec Engineering Ltd., who manufacturethe light, do not offer a choice of either flat glass, or of a lowerheight, so she is currently trying to persuade Marlec to offer thischoice - and perhaps win themselves an award!

In the introduction which the Chairman, Des Barge, gave at the GLAPresentation ceremony, acknowledgement was given to the unstintingefforts made by the Clerk to the PC, Mrs. Hazel Bryant, to ensure theutilisation of these highly environmentally-friendly lamps. Cllr. Burgealso gave me a firm assurance that where there was a need for any furtherlighting in the two villages, they would be requesting lights with zeroupward light emission. "Perhaps we will see more than just the BigBear!", he said."

The presentation was attended by members of the public, and County,District, and Parish Councillors. Joy Griffiths (left, in pink) is pictured handing the GLAto Cllr. Jan Morse.

In February 2005, CfDS Local Officer for Somerset, Joy Griffiths, presented aGLA to The Co-operative Group, South West Region. After noticing that thenewly-refurbished store in her home town of Chard had been fitted with a longuplighter illuminating its name (and the sky!), she wrote to the Retail StorePlanning Manager, Darren Thomas (based in Manchester) and asked if he would authorisethe light to be reversed and placed above, so that it shone wholely downwards. Themagnificent response from this Co-op Group, known for its concern for theenvironment, was for all 1,800 stores to receive the same adjustment to, not only itsfascia lighting, but those in its car parks - of which Co-ordinator Bob Mizon was abeneficiary in Wimborne, when one of his local Co-op's lights was re-alignedproperly, and another was extinguished altogether within days of Joy's request.There remain just a handful of Co-op's SW Region stores to be refurbished. Mr.Thomas said "Light pollution wasn't anything we'd ever considered before because weare usually dictated to by the local councils. We didn't even realise that we hadbeen causing so much light pollution... we are pleased to be linked to a campaign thatis doing so much good for the environment."

In the photograph (above-left; click on the image for the full sized version), we have (left to right): Robert Garland, ChardStore Manager (kneeling); Darren Thomas, Retail Store Planning Manager(standing), based in Manchester; Joy Griffiths, Local Officer CfDS of BAA(standing, centre); Dorothy Graham, Area Co-op Committee Manager; and CliveNetherway, Area Manager (kneeling).