[sudomal]

They have been installing LED street lights in the UK for a while now. The LED supplier approaches a council, the council agrees to pay the supplier the difference between their normal and new lighting bill for X years. The supplier gives them the relatively expensive LED lamps (which talk to each other wirelessly) and management system. The council installs them. Supplier makes money from the price difference.

[csmuk]

And they're horrible. They just put them in down my road and it's like prison searchlights compared to the old lighting.

To add insult to injury they put CCTV cameras on every alternate lamp as well.

[Angostura]

And they're fine. They've just installed them in my area in East London.

The only disadvantage I've spotted is that, with the old Sodium vapour lamps, it was easier to spot when a car was coming around a bend since the headlight colour was significantly different to the ambient streetlighting. I'll adapt.

[csmuk]

Good point.

Perhaps they put good ones in your area. I live in a cheap borough.

These ones are so bright and not diffused at all. It makes silhouettes of everything through my windows.