Street lights turn off bid

Street lamps in Wyre Forest district could be switched off to help cut fuel bills council chiefs have announced.

They say the lighting will also be cut in an effort to help the environment. Worcestershire County Council has turned off lighting in some areas, particularly rural parts where people have complained.

Now there is a review to decide whether more lamps could be turned off without creating safety issues or dangers for residents, pedestrians and motorists.

Six years ago the authority was responsible for about 750,000 street lights around the county and now has many more. But villagers in rural areas around the Wyre Forest district and elsewhere in the county say they don't like night lights.

Paul Whittaker, a spokesman for Worcestershire County Council, said: "It's right and proper that we look at the street-lighting levels we operate throughout the county on a regular basis.

"There are lots of factors to consider and for that reason, we are constantly looking at our options.

"The council has a contract that uses green electricity for street lights, which is cheaper and less harmful to the environment.

"But that doesn't mean that we can't look at reducing levels to cut down further, especially in rural areas"

He did add that in urban areas good street lighting can help cut crime and nuisance behaviour.

"Improved street-lighting is the third biggest factor in reducing anti-social behaviour and we are often asked by the police to look at increasing lighting levels in certain urban areas," he said.

"It reduces the places that criminals can hide, makes people feel safer because they can see more and improves the quality of closed circuit television footage, not to mention increases the visibility for drivers so that they can see pedestrians more clearly."