Town Council Opposes Tory Street Light Switch-Off

11.42.53pm GMT Sat 3rd Feb 2007

Lib Dem councillors Helen Baker and Patrick Boland discuss the Conservatives' great street light switch-off plan.

Saffron Walden Town Council has unanimously reaffirmed its opposition to Essex County Council's plans to switch off the lights in Saffron Walden. Proposals made by Conservative County Councillors were described as 'tinkering with the detail and not addressing the real issues' by Cllr. Mike Hibbs. Essex County Council is proposing to switch off the lights in some streets and not in others. Cllr. Jo Dawson considers this is both unfair to residents and unfair to those who may be required to make the decision. Speaking after the meeting Cllr. Helen Baker said 'How do we distinguish between one badly lit alley and another, and what happens if a crime is committed in the one chosen to be left in darkness?' and Cllr. Keith Crook said 'If Councillor Rodney Bass is really concerned about saving energy he could arrange for the traffic signs to be switched off in the day time - at present they are lit for the whole 24 hours.'

By contrast, Liberal Democrat-run Devon County Council is running a pilot scheme, in which two relatively small sites will be having their street lights dimmed (in line with advice from the Institute of Lighting Engineers) late at night - not switched off. As part of the pilot, Devon County Council will consider road safety and crime implications. Residents views will be sought. Depending on the outcome of the pilot, Devon County Council will then see whether it is something they should continue with and extend.

In Essex, Conservative-controlled Essex County Council has decided to switch off the street lights in two whole Districts - with little or no consultation. Conservative claims that they are acting merely to reduce Uttlesford's carbon footprint do not stand up to scrutiny. Essex County Council's Conservative leader, Lord Hanningfield, has stated that refusing permission for Stansted Airport to expand was a mistake. Airport expansion is a much bigger cause of climate change than street lights. Essex County Council have the option to buy their electricity from a provider that uses renewable sources of energy; they do not appear to have taken up that option.

Related Link:

Lord Hanningfield's comments in the East Anglian Daily Times