Melton street lights will stay off in early hours

Some street lights in Melton will continue to be switched-off from midnight despite concerns voiced by residents that dark streets lead to an increase in crime.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Jul 2019, 18:34 BST
Street lighting in Baldocks Lane, Melton EMN-190731-172837001Street lighting in Baldocks Lane, Melton EMN-190731-172837001
Street lighting in Baldocks Lane, Melton EMN-190731-172837001

Leicestershire County Council did consider switching all lights back on as a trial but after discussions with police they have decided there is no obvious link between offences being committed when lights were off.

A spokesman told the Melton Times: “The scheme has been running in Melton for more than seven years and during this time we’ve received a minimal number of complaints.

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“Following discussions with police, it was felt there wasn’t a need to switch lights back on for a trial period.”

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Street lighting in Grange Drive, Melton EMN-190731-172826001Street lighting in Grange Drive, Melton EMN-190731-172826001
Street lighting in Grange Drive, Melton EMN-190731-172826001

Selected lights are turned off between midnight and 5.30am by County Hall to save energy and money, although street lights are kept on between these times at most junctions in the town, in areas covered by CCTV security cameras and on roads where there are traffic-calming measures.

Some residents at a public debate on crime back in January told senior police officers they felt unsafe when the lighting went off and they feared it made it easier for burglars, thieves and vandals to carry out offences.

There were also many comments posted on the town’s neighbourhood watch Facebook page blaming an increase in crime on the ‘blackout’ and urging the council to keep all street lights on throughout the early hours of the morning.