I have previously highlighted residents’ requests for proper lighting on the steps from Scott Street to Pentland Avenue - see below:
The steps are well-used and the adjacent street lighting only gives limited coverage. Providing traditional lighting would be very costly given the layout and slope and so the council’s Street Lighting Partnership agreed to my request to investigate the viability of solar lighting.
I recently asked for an update from the Street Lighting Partnership, who now advise :
“I have looked at several option for lighting these steps over the past year or so and I cannot find a suitable option for these steps. Having looked at solar powered light for the steps and subsequent talks with manufacturers, they all come to the same conclusion (that) there is insufficient sun light during the winter months to sustain power for the light at this latitude.
The cost of excavating and powering a light by the normal means on the steps would run into the thousands of pounds, providing I can get a way leave to track in to the adjacent ground.
Until I can find an alternative means to power a light or a manufacturer develops a more efficient means of using alternative energy I can not see a way forward with this queries (but) I will continue to pursue a solution for lighting for these steps. Until then if your constituents do not wish to use the steps in the dark there is a lit alternative route via Scott Street to Pentland Avenue.”
I will continue to pursue this matter as having better lighting on the steps would greatly assist residents using them at night.