Increase in deaths and injuries on Warwickshire roads since switch-off

The number of people killed and injured on Warwickshire roads has increased since December 2012, when the county council decided to switch off street lights at night on 80 percent of roads in the Leamington, Kenilworth and Warwick areas.

Warwick Council’s overview and scrutiny committee carried out a review of road accidents, comparing the number of incidents from December 2012 to December 2013 with those in the same period of 2011 to 2012 before the switch-off.

Despite opposition from members of the public and the council’s Labour group since the initiative was introduced, street lights remain turned off between 12am and 5:30am on week nights and 1am and 6:30am at weekends.

Figures reveal that the number of slight injuries, which do not need medical attention increased from seven to ten, while the number of deaths or serious injuries rose from three to five.

The death of 18-year-old Warwick student Archie Wellbelove in December 2012 sparked protests which urged the county council to re-consider their decision to switch street lights off.

Mr Wellbelove died after being hit by a taxi on Kenilworth Road in Leamington Spa. Investigations found that the lack of street lighting contributed towards his death.

Archie’s brother, Henry Wellbelove, who also attended Warwick University, was quoted in a previous article in the Boar saying: “The greatest shame is that Archie was hit under an extinguished light. The council must renege on their decision and turn the lights on all night long, especially in winter.”

Taxi driver Dil Ramzan also told the Boar that the council “…want to save half a million, but what price can on be put Archie’s life? Compensation means nothing, it won’t bring him back.”

Despite increased fatalities and injuries in the area, Warwick Council does not show any signs of reversing its decision to switch street lighting off. Meanwhile, other areas such as Milton Keynes have chosen to switch streetlights back on in July 2012 after a 30 percent rise in accidents and two deaths in unlit areas.

Tory Warwick Council members rejected protests to turn the lights back on because of the benefits of the initiative.

The report by the overview and scrutiny committee found that £560,000 has been saved, exceeding the initial aim of £500,000. There has also been a decrease in the number of anti-social behaviour incidents from 1,308 to 779 and in violent crimes, which dropped from 330 to 262.

County Councillor, Peter Butlin expressed his optimism: “Whichever way you look at the statistics, they make for very positive reading. We will continue to analyse the data but the early signs are very encouraging.”