Dark streets remain safe after switch-off

Shropshire Council's initiative to save carbon and energy costs are well under way with about 12,500 street lights in the process of being converted to part-night lighting.

With the lights switching off from midnight until 5.30am, there were fears that the move might endanger people walking at night time.

But councillors have said they haven't seen any increase in crime since the switch over began in the north of the county in July.

Councillor Peter Adams, Shropshire Council deputy cabinet member for highways, said: The conversion programme is continuing well as we moved into the north of the county. We remain on programme and those areas still to do should be finished this financial year.

"We always get asked how the streets were selected and whether it will impact on crime and we're happy to tell people that all the streets chosen were done so with the support of the police and town and parish councils, according to specific requirements.

"The figures we had before going ahead with this indicated there was no correlation between part-night lighting and crime levels, however, we are keen to make sure residents feel safe so we are monitoring the streets throughout the installation period and on a year on year basis after that.

"Any roads or areas that the council or the police regarded as unsuitable because of safety concerns or crime levels after midnight were not included in the plans."

Lights in Oswestry, Shrewsbury and south Shropshire have already been converted as part of the project that started in April 2012.

But street lights in villages and towns including Adderley, Calverhall, Cheswardine, Childs Ercall, Hadnall, Hinstock, Ightfield, Market Drayton, Norton-in-Hales, Prees, Prees Higher Heath, Shawbury, Stoke-upon-Tern, Wem, Whitchurch and Woore, began the changeover in July this year.

And police have also confirmed that the lighting changes have not affected crime in Shropshire so far.

Inspector Simon Lewis, from West Mercia Police, said: "We understand that following the change to the street lights in the area that there is a perception amongst the community that crime has increased, however that is not the case."