Imagine waiting to cross the road, even though you have wings. Well this is the case for bats in Worcestershire.

Worcestershire council have installed and activated the first bat friendly streetlights in the UK. The LED lights emit a red light that is easier for bats to locate. Research shows that some species of bats tend to stay away from bright white light sources like regular streetlights, causing some interference in the ability to find food and water.

The 60-metre-wide crossing area is located on the A4440 near to Worcester’s Warndon Woodlands nature reserve. There were concerns at first, that the light would visually affect the road users below. However, this has been proven not to be an issue, with the lights also complying to required standards.

Ken Pollock is a conservative MP and a local councillor. He stated,

“These lights are a great example where we have been able to adapt the usual standards to better suit the local environment. The adapted lighting may look a little different at first, but we’d like to assure those using the area at night that the colour of the lights has been through stringent testing and adheres to all safety checks.”

Similar lighting ventures have been proven to be successful in the Netherlands, helping to preserve different species of nocturnal life. Worcestershire county council are hoping to emulate this positive action.

Sources:

1. Worcestershire GOV.

2. The Guardian.