MAIN roads across Caerphilly will be “plunged into darkness” after Caerphilly council agreed to the controversial switch-off of 6,000 street lights.

At a full council meeting, councillors agreed to switch off street lights on main roads between towns and villages - including industrial areas - from midnight to 5.30am, saving the authority an estimated 850 tonnes of carbon and £175,000 in energy costs each year.

Some Labour councillors said consultation with residents was not extensive enough and those who were consulted were not given the option to keep the lights on.

The authority's 25,000 streetlights account for 27 per cent of the authority’s carbon emissions and the council must reduce their carbon emissions by 45 per cent over the next nine years.

During a public consultation earlier this year, options given to residents were switching off lights on all main roads between midnight and 5.30am, switching lights off permanently on all main roads, turning off all lights except ones at junctions between midnight and 5.30am and switching lights off in residential areas between midnight and 5.30am.

The first option, which will see up to 6,000 streetlights turned off every night, received the highest level of support from 39 per cent of residents.

Bargoed councillor Tudor Davies pointed out just 1,448 responses to the consultation in an authority which looks after some 140,000 residents.

Cllr Gerald Jones said roads will be "plunged into darkness," and added the consultation was rushed as drivers, including emergency services, use the roads at night and asked for further consultation, offering other ways to reduce the authority’s carbon footprint, which was rejected by the chamber.

Leader of the council Lindsay Whittle said the risk to drivers' would be minimal as very few people use the roads at night.

Risk assessments will be carried out on roads where there were serious safety concerns prior to the switch-off.

Timers will be fitted in streetlights and the switch-off is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Firms fear crime will get worse

The decision was met with anger from Blackwood workers who fear a spate of burglaries at their workplaces will continue.

Last month, the Argus reported business owners at Penmaen Industrial Estate had items stolen and their premises wrecked on numerous occasions over the past months.

Julia Phillips owns Poppy’s Place Dog and Cat Grooming on the estate which has had five break-ins or attempted break-ins since December.

She said: “Switching off the lights is just going to make it even worse for us. It is just a ridiculous idea especially in the aftermath of what has happened to us here.”

Colin Ashman owns Woodworks which has had an attempted break-in. He said: “It is a crazy idea. It is only going to make things a lot worse.”