John Baron MP calls for response to Part Night Street Lighting consultation

MP supportive of proposals but wants residents to have their say

Essex County Council is introducing Part Night Street Lighting in the Basildon Borough from 1^st November 2013. Lights will be switched off between midnight and 5am. The Council is consulting people as to whether their streets should be exempted from this energy saving initiative. Responses to the consultation should be sent to partnightlighting@essexhighways.org by 27^th September 2013.

John said:

“I am supportive of this initiative which reduces energy consumption, carbon emissions and costs. Pilot schemes elsewhere such as in Maldon and Uttlesford since 2007 show no evidence of increased crime – indeed, crime rates fell broadly in line with the national average.”

“Before introducing Part Night Street Lighting, Essex County Council is consulting as to whether there should be exceptions to the proposals. I would therefore welcome suggestions as to why local roads should be exempted. Certain roads and areas will already be exempt, and residents should visit the Council’s website for details before responding.”

Ends

Word Count: 177

Date: 4^th September 2013

Notes to Editors

It is proposed that lights in locations meeting the following exception criteria will continue to be lit through the night.  This amounts to around 30% of streetlights:

•   Sites where there are a large number of conflicting traffic movements (eg roundabouts) which are on significant routes (generally those lit by columns greater than 6m high).

•   Sites where street lights are installed as a result of accident remedial measures.

•   Town Centre areas where there is one or more of the following features:

• Publicly maintained CCTV
• A high proportion of high security premises (eg banks, jewellers); areas of high crime risk;
• High concentration of people at night such as transport interchanges, nightclubs etc.

•   Main approaches to town centre areas where there is a mix of development between residential and commercial/industrial

•   Sites where the police can demonstrate that there is likely to be an increase in crime if the lights are switched off during part of the night (or that there will be a decrease in crime if the lights are switched back on).

•   Remote footpaths and alleys linking residential streets.

•   Where there is a statutory requirement to provide lighting

Additionally, Essex County Council is considering the position of the A13 and A127 dual carriageways.  On a trial basis it intends to switch the lights on these roads to part night lighting unless they meet one of the above criteria.

If residents feel there are areas where street lights should be left on all night please can they email partnightlighting@essexhighways.org noting:

• The location of the light(s), including street and settlement name.
• The reason you feel the light(s) meet the exception criteria.

The feedback will then be used to supplement the information ECC’s engineers currently hold on the street lights that should be considered exempt from the switch over to part night lighting.