Viewpoint: Kilcullen street lights a dereliction of duty

Street lights out.

A major fault in the street lighting of Kilcullen has gone unrepaired for many weeks and people are now asking why, writes Brian Byrne. The fault, in which the main street lights on a stretch from the crossroads to Conroy Park cycle on and off in 20-second intervals, leaves pedestrians intermittently with only the lights of cars to navigate what are in parts irregular footpath surfaces, in recent nights paths made even more dangerous by heavy frosts. 

Though the fault was reported weeks ago, no indication of reason or of timeline for repair has been forthcoming to the community. The Diary has been asked a number of times recently if there is any word on either. 

Street lights on ... for 20 seconds.

This is not the only such problem. A fault that has blacked out street lights on the other end of town, opposite Moanbane Park, has been an issue for even longer than this latest one. Though an explanation was given that the Moanbane matter would require a major repair undertaking, residents of that area are now asking 'when?'. So far the silence is as deep as the darkness. 

(And while we're at that end of town, we're being asked about a rapidly expanding pothole for which there's no good reason to allow it keep growing.)

Kilcullen as a community has a reputation for doing a lot for ourselves, even stuff that arguably should be the work of the local authority. Street lighting, though, is beyond the ability or expertise of our splendid local volunteer groups. 

Like the failure over years into decades of properly dealing with potentially lethal matters such as Thompson's Cross and the lack of a simple filter light at Kilcullen's traffic lights, someone, somewhere, who has responsibility, doesn't care.  

Whomever that person or those persons are need to realise that responsibility is a duty, not just a highly-paid title in a utilities provider or local authority within which their officials can hide them behind the worn-out epitaph 'subject to resources'. 

Just do, or cause to be done, what you're paid to do. When it needs to be done. 

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