Brecon Beacons’s Dark Sky Disturbed by LED Street Lights

The Brecon Beacons National Park, one of the three national parks in Wales, UK, has earned special protection of its night sky from light pollution and is an ideal place for stargazing. However, for the sake of safety, the Welsh Government recently installed LED street lights in Cwmdu, Powys, leaving a campaign group concerned.
 
 
According to the BBC, conventional street lights have been replaced by brighter LED lights on the A479 road within the Brecon Beacons. Since it is a trunk road, the Welsh Government can carry out the installation without getting permission from the national park authority. 

The International Dark Sky Association (IDA), who awarded the dark sky status to the Welsh National Park in 2013, said it is worried about the move. A spokesman pointed out that installing LED street lights was inconsistent with the ideals of the protected status, namely that the national park has an “exceptional commitment to, and success in implementing, the ideals of dark sky preservation.”

Moreover, the IDA said the Welsh Government has long shown support for the dark-sky initiatives across Wales, so the move leaves the association thoroughly perplexed. The IDA are concerned that this could set a precedent and result in more LED lights being installed in the Brecon Beacons and other UK national parks. 

Currently, the IDA has no intention to remove the status, but it will monitor the situation closely and work with the government to reduce any negative impacts of LED lights.  

A Welsh Government spokesman stressed that the purpose of installing LED street lights is to improve driver and community safety. It is also part of the government’s efforts to reduce energy use and carbon footprint. The government will consider options like dimming in the area near Cwmdu campsite on condition that there are no safety concerns. 

Disclaimers of Warranties
1. The website does not warrant the following:
1.1 The services from the website meets your requirement;
1.2 The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the service;
1.3 The accuracy, reliability of conclusions drawn from using the service;
1.4 The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness, or security of any information that you download from the website
2. The services provided by the website is intended for your reference only. The website shall be not be responsible for investment decisions, damages, or other losses resulting from use of the website or the information contained therein<
Proprietary Rights
You may not reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, display, perform, publish, distribute, disseminate, broadcast or circulate to any third party, any materials contained on the services without the express prior written consent of the website or its legal owner.
The new IR:6 thin-film infrared LED chip technology is available in 850nm, 940nm and new 920nm wavelength options First IR:6-based products are the OSLON® P1616 and OSLON® Black series, giving customers a drop-in replacement that o... READ MORE
Display devices have been used for many years as a means of HMI (Human Machine Interface) to connect humans and machines interactively, and their usage are still expanding. Automotive interiors are no exception to this trend, with an increasing ... READ MORE