Safety pleas over street light switch-off rejected

Residents' pleas for street lights to be switched back on at night have been rejected in a Coventry City Council report.

The update to a scrutiny board meeting said police had found there was no evidence of crime going up as a result of the changes.

Since last July, the majority of the city's lamps have been switched off for hours at night, usually from midnight to 05:30.

People had made calls for the council to scrap the policy, which was to save an estimated £700,000 a year, and make streets "safe again."

Two petitions had demanded the lights be restored, gaining 2,000 and nearly 1,500 signatures each.

Campaigner Helen Back said she had encountered the policy's "dangerous consequences" after her car was broken into and damaged.

Other supporters said they felt unsafe and claimed they had noticed a rise in crime in their areas.

Another petition raised concerns about the impact on the elderly, vulnerable and shift-workers.

The council report stated: "Police have conducted a review of the part-night lighting and there is no evidence of crime going up as a result of the changes in street lighting.

"We have also noted there has been a reduction in night-time collisions during the hours of the part-night switch off."

Members of the communities and neighbourhoods scrutiny board were on Thursday asked to support the continuation of the partial night lighting scheme and identify any further recommendations to cabinet.

The document said 60% of street lights in the city were switched off for part of the night, down from the 70% in the original budget papers.

It said the saving target for the policy change had been reduced by a seventh, down to £600,000 per year.

The report said this was because of the fall in the lights affected, the time it took to implement the change and a drop in the council's energy price in October.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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