Details of switch-off plan come to light

Derbyshire County Council provides and maintains around 89,000 street lights, but proposals have been drawn up to switch off around 40,000 between midnight and 5.30am and around 900 permanently.

Senior councillors say it will save 2,000 tonnes of carbon every year – the equivalent of taking 625 cars off the roads.

Coun Simon Spencer cabinet member for highways and transport said the move would also save more than £400,000 a year on energy bills.

Last year the county council spent around £5.5 million on lighting and maintaining street lights with £2.7 million being spent on electricity.

He added: “There are environmental benefits to using less electricity. Cutting carbon means reducing the effects of global warming – and there are financial benefits too.

“Derbyshire County Council needs to save £90m over the next four years and with energy prices set to rise again by up to 18% this month we need to look at ways of doing things differently.

“We won’t switch off all street lights but as most people are in bed between midnight and 5.30am you could argue that some lighting isn’t needed.”

Coun Spencer said lights would not be turned off on some main traffic routes, in town centres or locations with a significant night-time traffic accident record between midnight and 5.30am

Lights would also stay on in areas identified by the police as having an above average record of crime, areas provided with CCTV, and areas with sheltered housing and other residences accommodating vulnerable or elderly people.

Anyone who wishes to comment on the stree lighting plan should contact the council by December 6.