Sir,
I have a nagging suspicion that the spotlights illuminating the Greenhill School playing fields are operating on a time switch. As the evenings draw in, the lights appear to switch on and off at roughly the same time each evening. Often the weather is so foul that I cannot imagine any activity taking place on the field, but still the lights burn.
I would be pleased if the relevant authority could refute this suspicion, and reassure me by responding to this open letter. The lights are an excellent facility when properly used to allow activities to take place on the field after sunset, but the power consumption is huge. A rough calculation of the wattage indicates that the power consumed by the lights in one hour would light an average house for a week.
If the system of operation is such that the lights are manually operated and only switched on when the area is in use - then my concerns will be allayed. At a time when we are all urged to use energy efficient, but expensive, light bulbs and to turn down the central heating thermostat, it would be a great shame to waste electricity in this manner.
M. F. Fox,