IT was interesting reading the article in the Keighley News regarding a suggestion by Airedale Beekeepers Association that the remodelled Hard Ings roundabout could be transformed into a haven for pollinators and wildlife. Furthermore I read with surprise that the initiative had been given the ‘green light’!

That is rather interesting and I am surprised that the beekeepers association regards Hard Ings roundabout as an ideal location for plants for bees.

I would generally encourage all initiatives to plant for wildlife, but I really have serious doubts about using this particular roundabout for this type of initiative.

Apart from the obvious pollution emitted from the exhausts of the many vans and heavy goods vehicles that utilise this route (which will not be banned by 2030) and the physical killing of wildlife on impact with vehicles, there is also another impact which is slowly gaining recognition as it is of a wider concern to our environment.

Let me explain. The roundabout is surrounded by white LED lighting which I understand is supplied with 4000k LED bulbs as it is a traffic route. Modern white LED lights emit between 26 and 33 per cent more blue light than low pressure sodium lights (found over much of the UK) which emit nil. There is a significant amount of research that indicates LED lights emitting the blue wavelength are a principal factor in harming all biodiversity, including us.

It is well known that most animals, birds and insect life (including bees) are sensitive to light, however it is now being understood that these same creatures are particularly sensitive to the violet-blue spectrum of light. Likewise, flora is also known to be significantly affected by light pollution in a variety of ways, particularly by disruption of its natural flowering period, leaf cessation and general growth; which in turn affects the natural breeding and feeding times of insects. This knock-on affect traverses up the food chain to widely impact on other wildlife and ecosystem processes. Findings from the Environment and Sustainability Institute have already revealed the impact artificial light at nighttime can have on even simple communities of life.

Maybe Airedale Beekeepers Association wants to carry out an experiment on this site; but in my view the amount of anthropogenic light pollution the site will receive along with the other issues highlighted will detrimentally affect the scheme.

Given the location of the roundabout to Keighley and the prominence along the A629 corridor to the Aire Valley corridor, it would however be nice to see a dominant sculpture or iconic feature on this roundabout site.

PAUL REDSHAW

Silsden

* Email your letters to alistair.shand@keighleynews.co.uk