The Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill has today confirmed that he will monitor public concern over street lighting in Dorset.
Changes to night-time street lighting began in Corfe Mullen, West Moors, Ferndown and West Parley in early December with the aim of reducing Dorset County Council’s energy costs. Dorset County Council state that lights will only be turned off where there are no significant concerns over road safety and crime – and 1,100 street lights will still remain lit across the four areas.
Martyn Underhill said “I can understand that the street lighting issue is a concern to some residents and I have spoken twice to Dorset County Council’s chief executive Debbie Ward about the issue. It is important to realise that this isn’t technically a policing issue, but one that is the remit of the County Council. I have also met Councillor Dover who has expressed her concerns to me which I fully understand. In my role as PCC, this becomes my remit if it transpires that road safety or personal safety is compromised”.
“Whilst I have received some letters from the public I have not received sufficient correspondence for me to intervene with the Council”.
“I also have to take into account that the Council have agreed to turn the lights back on if the Police request it, and this has already been tested in Littlemoor and works”.
“I have agreed with Councillor Dover that I shall monitor both of these issues over a three month period to establish whether the safety of Dorset residents is affected by the street lights being turned off. Until research shows otherwise I will leave this in the hands of Dorset County Council and will be ‘watching with interest’”.
SSE Contracting, Dorset County Council’s street lighting partner, are converting almost 4,100 lights in the four areas to switch off overnight between 12am and 5.30am GMT (1am and 6.30am BST). The lights will only switch back on again in the morning if it is still dark. Lights will remain lit on main roads, within the town centres and on roads with speed humps.
Part-night lighting has been introduced to residential streets in Dorchester, Weymouth, Portland, Christchurch, Blandford, Sherborne, Shaftesbury and Gillingham.
The part-night street lighting programme is part of the county council’s plans to make significant budget reductions and will be extended to all remaining towns and villages across the county over the next year.
Roads in the towns that have yet to have their lights replaced as part of the county council’s ongoing county-wide replacement programme with SSE Contracting will be converted to part-night lighting when they are replaced.
Martyn Underhill has asked people who have views on street lighting to submit their comments to The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. Martyn Underhill can be contacted either by email: [email protected]; by telephone 01202 223966 or in writing: Martyn Underhill MSc PGCE, Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, Force Headquarters, Winfrith, Dorchester,Dorset DT2 8DZ
