Lights out could cover more areas

MORE street lights could be controversially switched off at night, it has emerged.

Currently around 80 per cent of lights along main roads through the borough are switched off between midnight and 5.30am, Sunday to Thursday, and between 1am and 6.30am on Friday and Saturday.

But concern the policy could be expanded has arisen following the introduction of Warwickshire County Council's online budget simulator.

One of the money-saving options put to users is an extended switch-off period, and/or an increase in the number of lights affected.

It is suggested this would save the council £300,000 but users are warned it would also result in longer response times to street lighting problems.

A spokesperson for the authority - which needs to cut £92million from its spending over the next four years - said the simulator featured ideas rather than specific proposals. A review of the policy was due to take place this month.

Part night lighting was phased in between December 2012 and April this year in an attempt to save £500,000 annually.

In July, the council's Labour group made an unsuccessful bid for all lights to be switched back on safety grounds.

Coun June Tandy, leader of the group, said: "We have consistently opposed the switching off of the street lights since the inception of the policy, and we will continue to oppose it going forward.

"My colleagues are hearing more and more stories from across the county about the negative impacts this is having."

She added her party wanted the lights back on until alternative methods of saving electricity could be devised.

Final decisions on how the county council's savings will be implemented will be revealed in next February’s budget.

The budget simulator - the first stage of its Lets Talk consultation - is available at warwickshire.gov.uk/letstalk until October 31. A hard copy version is also available in libraries around the county.

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