Oxfordshire County Council plans to turn streetlights off between 11pm and 6.30am

12/11/2024

A petition has been started to oppose the move

Oxfordshire County Council is planning to turn off our streetlights overnight.   A decision will be made on Thursday by Councillor Pete Sudbury – who is the Deputy Leader of the Council with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment & Future Generations.

He will be asked to decide if the default position is that streetlights are turned off between 11pm and 6.30am.

The County Council operates around 60,000 streetlights across the county.   If fully implemented the change would save around £400,000 annually and significantly reduce carbon emissions.   Street lighting is the largest single contributor to the County Council’s operational emissions.

But the move has been criticised by the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner.   In a letter to the council, Matthew Barber said: “Badly lit streets can exacerbate both the risk of crime and the fear of crime.

“Thames Valley Police has been leading the way nationally in the work to protect women, particularly in the night time economy, with operations such as Project Vigilant. The unilateral dimming or switching off of street lighting may jeopardise not just the confidence that has been built up, but also the safety of women in the county”

In the letter, Mr Barber also raises concerns about the impact on the falling levels of knife crime, recent investment in CCTV and anti-social behaviour.

Banbury’s Mayor and County Councillor Mark Cherry has also objected to the move, calling it a “retrograde step” which could make people scared to go out after the “11pm lockdown”.

Banbury’s MP, Sean Woodcock, said: “Banbury is home to many businesses that operate at night not only in the town centre but on its outskirts in industrial estates.

“Then there are staff at the Horton Hospital. Why should their shift workers be made less safe because of penny pinching by Oxfordshire County Council?

“These half baked proposals need scrapping and more sensible suggestions put forward.”

A petition has been launched to persuade the County Council to change its mind.


Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam

Reader's opinions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Current track

Title

Artist

Background