Reduction in street lighting considered as budget cuts hit Tenbury (From Ludlow Advertiser)

Reduction in street lighting considered as budget cuts hit Tenbury

8:00am Sunday 20th January 2013 in News

HARDWARE and electrical stores in Tenbury might like to consider stocking up on torches.

Worcestershire County Council is giving a whole new meaning to the concept of being in the dark about how to cope with budget cuts from central Government.

Ken Pollock, pictured, who represents Tenbury on Worcestershire County Council, has confirmed one of the options being considered to save money could include a reduction in street lighting.

“Twenty per cent of the money that we spend on electricity goes on street lighting,” said Coun Pollock.

“We can save a lot of money by dimming lights after 7pm and switching the lighting off in some places after midnight.”

But he added that key locations such as important road junctions and sun-ways where lighting is important for safety would not be affected.

“The police have advised us that we need lights in high crime areas but not in low crime areas.”

Coun Pollock said other money saving tactics being used including a switch from traditional sodium lighting to low energy LED bulbs.

Tenbury Town Councillor Joe Watson was not impressed.

He fears that criminals will move to places where the lighting is poor.