Leamington street lights may stay switched off

Fears over street lighting in Leamington Spa have resurfaced in the wake of rumours that Warwickshire County Council could extend its street light switch-off policy.

Nearly 80 percent of Warwickshire’s street lights go dark from midnight to 5.30am, Sunday to Thursday, and from 1.30am to 6.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Street lighting in the Leamington area has been the subject of much controversy following the death of student Archie Wellbelove in 2012.

According to the online budget simulator, extending the switch off period could save over £300,000 for a council needing to wrest back £92 million in spending over the next four years.

While a spokesperson for the council denied that the simulator featured specific proposals, and merely policy ideas, a review of the street light switch-off policy is ongoing.

In July 2013, the council’s Labour group made an unsuccessful bid to have all of Warwickshire’s street lights switched back on over safety concerns.

Councillor and leader of the group, June Tandy, said: “We have consistently opposed the switching off of the street lights since the inception of the policy, and we will continue to oppose it going forward.”

Ms Tandy went on to add that the Labour group would continue pressing for the need to switch on street lights until other methods of saving electricity are devised.

A survey completed by Cubbington residents revealed that four in five people would be willing to pay an extra £4 in council tax annually to allow only every other light to be turned off, as opposed to all lights.

The survey was conducted by Cubbington Parish Council.

However, a third year student at Warwick University who did not wish to be named, sympathised with the council’s idea to extend the switch-off.

They said: “While reversing the policy might make the walk back from Leamington nightclubs a lot safer, I can see why the council might be looking to extend the switch-off.

“They will argue that leaving the lights on longer will disturb local residents, which is also probably a fair point. It could make walking back from clubs more unsafe, but I can see why they’re looking to do it.”

Claims were also made that the council’s switch-off policy may have contributed to Mr Wellbelove’s death, who died after being struck by a taxi while walking home at 3.50am.