The usual arrangement these days is for each column to have a permanent supply and then have an inexpensive photocell on the top of the light fitting itself (like the top half of one of these - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLPEC1000.html they typically have a twist lock plug and socket arrangement). Simple timers aren't of much use as dawn and dusk vary by many hours across the year, When I were a lad there were time switches with in-built sun currection which varied the on/off times with the time of year, but they were rather complicated mechanical devices and must have cost a fortune, for simple dawn-to-dusk the photocell provies a much more satisfactory.

Some more recent ones are more complicated and come on at dusk, but then go off again at midnight ot 1am and then on again a something like 4am if it isn't already dawn. I'm not sure if they add a simple timer or have something more complex like a radio signal from a central control room. But that sort of thing probably isn't worth while for a short private road.

Metering wise it's entirely normal to connect street lights direct to the mains without a meter - the electricity is then paid for by licence depending on the power consumtion (the number of hours a year it will be on being pretty much a known constant).

   - Andy.

The usual arrangement these days is for each column to have a permanent supply and then have an inexpensive photocell on the top of the light fitting itself (like the top half of one of these - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLPEC1000.html they typically have a twist lock plug and socket arrangement). Simple timers aren't of much use as dawn and dusk vary by many hours across the year, When I were a lad there were time switches with in-built sun currection which varied the on/off times with the time of year, but they were rather complicated mechanical devices and must have cost a fortune, for simple dawn-to-dusk the photocell provies a much more satisfactory.

Some more recent ones are more complicated and come on at dusk, but then go off again at midnight ot 1am and then on again a something like 4am if it isn't already dawn. I'm not sure if they add a simple timer or have something more complex like a radio signal from a central control room. But that sort of thing probably isn't worth while for a short private road.

Metering wise it's entirely normal to connect street lights direct to the mains without a meter - the electricity is then paid for by licence depending on the power consumtion (the number of hours a year it will be on being pretty much a known constant).

   - Andy.