Brady calls for an end to delays in fixing broken streetlights in Wicklow
Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has expressed concern at delays in addressing the large number of street light outages across Wicklow. He called on the Council to take measures to ensure that the contractor is forced to carry out the repairs as quickly as possible. There was a complete outage along Bray SeaFront for three weeks. With further outages in Aughrim Oaks for several weeks, and on the Herbert Road for over a month, with other areas across the county also reporting faults. This despite the fact that there is a contractual obligation to address street light outages within a maximum of two weeks of the fault being logged.
The extent of these outages is causing public health and safety, and security issues, particularly as the evenings continue to close in, and with the time set to change in a matter of weeks.
Brady said:
“Despite the fact that these outages have been logged in a timely manner, there has been a delay in addressing the faults. The fact is that the contract to service the public lighting system in Wicklow stipulates that all faults be addressed with a period of a maximum of two weeks, which in itself is excessive.
The current contractor is the fourth in a line running from ESB Networks, Airtricity, and Enerveo. Up to now there wasn’t a problem in dealing with outages in a prompt manner.
The extent and the duration of the delays we are seeing now is absolutely unacceptable. Two weeks to address an outage is more than enough time.
We are heading into winter, the evenings are closing in, and we are only a few short weeks away from the time changing.
To have housing estates, and busy pedestrian walkways such as the Bray Seafront, Aughrim Oaks, and the Herbert Road in darkness represents both a health and safety, and security issue to the public, and local businesses. The ESB had provided an excellent service for many years, if the new contractor is incapable of meeting the conditions of the contract it must be looked at.
At the minute this is causing trip hazards, and security issues. People need to feel safe when they are walking around towns and villages across Wicklow at nighttime. To see areas in darkness sends out a terrible message. It is an invitation to criminals, and a message to stay clear to members of the public. I am calling on the council to act to ensure that this work is carried out within the scheduled timeframes.” ENDS