Dark ages fear over lights switch-off
A north Shropshire business leader says proposals to switch off streets lights under radical plans to save money and combat climate change, would be sending the county back to the "dark ages".
Lincoln McMullan, chairman of the Ellesmere Chamber of Commerce, has also raised fears about people's safety if the town is plunged into darkness.
Dimmer switches could be fitted to some street lights while others could be turned off altogether in the cost-cutting scheme being considered by Shropshire Council.
Mr McMullan has hit out at the proposals, which could be piloted in Ellesmere, saying: "What about people's safety? What about the CCTV system in Ellesmere, how will that work if we are in the dark?
"There are plenty of other ways to cut costs and combat climate change without sending us back to the dark ages."
Shropshire Council is considering the plan as it battles public spending cuts and bids to deliver a 35 per cent cut in its carbon footprint over the next five years.
Philip Edwards, Shropshire Council's street lighting officer, said: "We would like to stress no formal decision has been made on this."
He said there is a national imperative to reduce energy usage and many councils are approaching this by varying the lighting levels of street lights outside busy hours when traffic and pedestrian levels are much lower.
