Bridge lighting will cost £120 a year

2:29pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

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IN reply to comments posted on the Shuttle website, I feel I should bring you up to date on how we are progressing with the floodlighting of Bewdley bridge and answer a few queries.

A town council working party has now been set up and we are constantly in touch with Light Ideas (the company prepared to design and offer the lighting system at an approximate cost to them of £5,000).

We also have arranged meetings with officers from county and district council and other appropriate agencies to help get the project started.

Quite rightly, the question How much this is going to cost the people of Bewdley?' is being asked.

Any installation charges will be paid for by grants, fund raising, etc. For the electricity costs, Light Ideas will be using Hunza metal halide luminaries (bulbs to us). Each of these are measured at 20 watts of power and a rough estimate to light the whole bridge amounts to around £120 per year.

Monies have been set aside by councils and are available for schemes such as this. We will be looking into energy power (hydro power) and costs.

Another question is Will the light fittings be seen?' The answer is no. The fittings will be coated in a UV stable aluminium to match with the colour of the masonry and they will be housed under the arches, thus giving a subtle light and effect.

As for the bridge itself, we fully understand the delicacy of working on a Grade 1 listed structure and will be sympathetic in the installation.

As well as the lights, we are looking into costs of having it cleaned at the same time.

BARBARA STALLWOOD Town councillor Mayor-elect, Bewdley