EDITORIAL COMMENT: Street light switch-off is madness (From South Wales Argus)

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Street light switch-off is madness

11:50am Wednesday 18th February 2009

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WE find it ridiculous that a council can consider switching off streetlights in any residential area.

Blaenau Gwent council wants to turn off half of its 13,000 lights between midnight and dawn in a move it says will save £180,000.

The council says lights would not be switched off in town centres or at key road junctions and the lights in "key" residential areas would be kept on but some residential areas would be affected.

We can see no logic in this.

The first problem we foresee in turning off lights in residential areas is an increase in crime.

Surely burglars and car thieves would be able to work more covertly in complete darkness?

Also, what about the safety of people as they walk home, in particular women?

The whole idea seems utterly bonkers, as has already been proved in parts of Mid-Wales where residential areas are left in the dark and some residents have even offered to pay for lighting themselves.

The neighbouring Torfaen authority, which is also looking at saving money, is planning to switch lights off in areas like industrial estates.

That makes much more sense to us.

And we should not forget that a saving of £180,000 compared from a council’s multi-million pound budget is a drop in the ocean.

We understand the need to tighten your belt in the current financial climate and we don't fault anyone for coming up with suggestions to do so.

But the safety of people and their property is paramount and should never be compromised as part of any cost cutting exercise.

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