Derbyshire County Council has had to cut down it’s street lighting maintenance due to budget cuts.
The new budget only allows 12,000 street lights to be replaced as the street lighting budget was cut by £775,000.
The council has asked the public which lights they think should be replaced. It was recommended that the lights that initially installed for public safety should be among the lights chosen to be replaced/maintenance. As well as those lights, the council recommends that traffic routes, places with high level of night crime or road accidents, footpaths, alleyways, around hospitals and emergency service sites should take priority.
In order to cut costs in lighting other councils have opted for switching off their lights as opposed to letting them go out. Shropshire council has converted 12,500 street lights to be switched off after midnight. A poll taken in the Shropshire Star showed that half of the residents agree with the switch off although councillors and civic leaders worry about the potential increase in crime and the impact on vulnerable people, such as the elderly.
A spokesperson from Derbyshire County Council said:
Our current budget allows for around 12,000 street light faults to be repaired but we anticipate around 18,000 may fail because we propose to stop routine lamp replacement. The authority is currently considering LED technology and dimming. We are seeking the opinion of residents.
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