Leicestershire street lights switch-off 'may cut night crime'
Fears that switching off street lights would lead to a rise in traffic accidents or crime have been dismissed.
Leicestershire County Council reckons that it could save £700,000 a year in running costs by switching off 2,000 lights in six villages between midnight and 5.30am.
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Some believed the proposals could lead to an increase in crime and road accidents.
The Mercury asked the authority in Gloucestershire, where similar schemes were adopted, for its views. It reported no problems and said there was even a drop in crime in some villages.
In January last year, Gloucestershire County Council decided to turn off 7,000 street lights between midnight and 5.30am.
The council's road lighting manager Barry Greenaway said: "We have been looking very carefully at both crime levels and road accidents in the trial areas and, so far, there has been no increase.
"In the three areas where we piloted the conversion of street lights to part-night operation, there was actually a slight overall reduction in numbers of crimes committed between midnight and 5.30am in the 12 months after the conversions compared to before."
In Leicestershire, the council is looking to trial the switch-off in six villages whose parish councils volunteered to take part – Quorn, Thurlaston, Dunton Bassett, Swannington, Smeeton Westerby and Lubenham.
Following the trials, the switch-off plans will be rolled out across the county over four years, at a cost of £1.7m.
In line with Gloucestershire, the county would carry out risk assessments at each location before turning off the lights.
According to the report to be presented to cabinet members, the council's legal experts believe the risk of being successfully sued by people involved in accidents would only marginally increase.
Peter Williams, head of environmental management at Leicestershire County Council, said: "Crime can actually go down if lights are switched off because things like anti-social behaviour tend to happen in brightly-lit areas.
"If you see a group of kids acting up, they tend to be standing in a pool of light outside a shop or a library."
Martin Morgan-Taylor, of Glenfield, is director of the International Dark Sky Association.
He said: "Many European cities do switch their lights off at night – in Vienna, half the street lights go off and there has been no increase in crime.
"Let's face it – if street lights always deterred crime, then why would most house burglaries happen during the day?
"Cutting waste lighting saves money, saves on carbon emissions, helps reduce the effects of night-time artificial lighting on animals, may also help human health and, lastly, helps to restore the night sky."
7 Comments
by Martin Morgan-Taylor, Leicester
Tuesday, December 15 2009, 10:57AM
“Dear Daniel
I am replying to your comments as I am specialist in obtrusive light and the law (light pollution), where I try and look at the facts and the evidence.
HOUSE BURGLARIES
I agree that as house burglaries mainly happen during the day this is probably more of an opportunity issue, and so not lighting related. However, this is the point- they do not seem to be light related, so providing lighting will not affect this common crime. Further, insurance companies do not give house holders a discount for "security" lighting, and studies of burglars shows no link with them seeking unlit property. Moreover, the Home Office recommends that people make a house look occupied rather than put up high powered lighting, which often cause a nuisance to other householders (by shining into windows) or road users (by shining into the road). Note the Home Office recommend making it look like someone is in- which is just as important during the day. Thus dimming street lights in these areas will probably not affect crime. However, street lighting does often shine into bedroom windows disturbing sleep. (There is a lot of evidence for this.)
STREET LIGHTING GENERALLY
Cars are fitted with lights for a reason- and studies will be done to make sure that main road lighting is not switched off in areas where it will probably help. So studies will be done and other studies will be looked at so that a balanced view may be given on the evidence.
There are 7.4 million street lights in the UK, and dimming might save 40% of their energy cost.
There are schemes in Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Germany etc etc with dimming and selective switchings off; no rise in crime.
Elected councillors could try and win easy votes by advocating more and more street lights pandering to emotions, so the fact that there is now a move to counter-intuitive dimming and selective switching off surely says something.
Martin Morgan-Taylor
Member, Board of Directors, International Dark Sky Association.
Principal Lecturer in Law, DeMontfort University.”
by David Conner, Somerby
Monday, December 14 2009, 2:06PM
“I don't know about you, but when it comes to my own safety and security I would hope the authorities rely on evidence, not common sense.”
by Daniel, Leicester
Monday, December 14 2009, 1:40PM
“David Conner, Somerby - do you have any facts that prove it is the light? common sense would say that people are out at work in the day giving more opportunity to burglars and empty houses, wouldnt you think? or would that be too straight forward?”
by David Conner, Somerby
Monday, December 14 2009, 11:45AM
“Daniel,
You said 'daytime crime is higher because of other factors not the light. '
Do you have the evidence to support this assertion?”
by Daniel, Leicester
Monday, December 14 2009, 11:29AM
“David Conner, Somerby - That is why I clearly said in my post "maybe crime wont rise during the lights off periods and we can only see if it does" as in the proof will be in the pudding! and you cant compare cities with other cities as all are different, the only way to know is when its happening. But the point the that Martin Morgan-Taylor was making is rubbish daytime crime is higher because of other factors not the light.”
by David Conner, Somerby.
Monday, December 14 2009, 10:20AM
“Daniel,
How about providing some information yourself? This is in short supply in Leicester (try asking your local city councillor). All the hard, factual evidence suggests little if any direct link between lighting and crime. Let's see how the trials go and we have some real infomation.”
by Daniel, Leicester
Monday, December 14 2009, 9:39AM
“"Let's face it ¿ if street lights always deterred crime, then why would most house burglaries happen during the day? - Maybe because in the daytime the houses are generally more EMPTY nothing to do with LIGHT just opportunity! This is not an arguement for turning lights off, why is their always some muppet using non relevant info to make an arguement, maybe crime wont rise during the lights off periods and we can only see if it does also were not really Gloucester are we?!”