Big street lights switch-off starts
County councillor Sarah Hill with one of the street light signs in Great Bowden. (Picture: Andrew Carpenter/001395-3)
THE PROCESS of switching off nearly half of all the street lights in Harborough during the small hours has begun.
Leicestershire County Council, which is responsible for street lighting and highways, came up with the idea to save £23,000 a year in the town. It involves 1,518 street lights across Harborough and the Bowdens being turned off between midnight and 5.30am. The total number of lights in the area is 2,754.
Lights at key road junctions, pedestrian crossings and areas covered by CCTV are not affected.
The council says that as well as cutting costs, it will save 143 tons of carbon emissions each year.
Notices have been attached to lampposts to inform people the light is now operating as a ‘part-night light’.
Work to disable the lights should be completed by March.
Lesley Pendleton, County Hall’s cabinet member for transport, said: “This is a very ambitious programme but one that has also been carefully consulted on at all stages.”
Harborough and the Bowdens county councillor Sarah Hill, who spotted that the scheme had begun last week, said: “The switch-off is inevitable, in terms of the financial situation the council finds itself.
“There are also environment reasons for it to be welcomed.
“However, it could increase the fear of crime for some people - crime patterns will have to be monitored closely to see what effect, if any, there is.”
The council consulted the public on the issue back in September.
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Weather for Harborough
Tuesday 22 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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Wind direction: North west
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