We are constantly being advised to conserve energy at home by such measures as ensuring unneeded lights are switched off. Yet, when I drove from Hurstpierpoint to the superstores near Shoreham recently, I counted no fewer than 65 streetlights on in the daytime.

This route is by no means an isolated case. Everywhere in the Burgess Hill, Brighton and Worthing triangle there are lights burning unnecessarily. Indeed, I would estimate there are at least 200 in the area. It is not as if this is a recent phenomenon because they have been blazing away for months.

I would imagine a single streetlight would use at least 500 watts of power - probably a lot more - but even on that conservative basis, 200 daytime lights would currently cause 100 kilowatts of council tax-payers' energy to drain away uselessly for nearly 16 hours a day.

It's about time the councils concerned got themselves switched on and made sure that these rogue lights were switched off. It's nothing short of daylight robbery.

-R J Millichap , St Lawrence Way, Hurstpierpoint