Letter: Turn down the glare and save energy

Sir: You are right to be concerned about light pollution, but I feel you are targeting the wrong causes.

The light flooding the country in your photograph comes from badly designed sports field lighting, over-lit car parks, widespread use of light fittings with poor optical control and (probably most significantly) light reflected from light-coloured road surfaces. These are the real problem, not a few floodlighting schemes like Croydon Skyline.

Sensitive floodlighting schemes designed by skilled professionals, using quality lighting equipment, enhance our enjoyment of architecture and have minimal environmental impact. Most of the complaints registered in the Institution of Environmental Health Officers survey cited by Dr Baddiley were about intrusive glare from domestic security lights. Strictly, this is a problem of light trespass, not light pollution.

MARK SAUNDERS

E-mail: mark.saunders@ldms.co.uk