Street lights on main road to be switched off to save cash

[dutchman]

A four-mile stretch of a main road though Coventry will be plunged into darkness to save money – and other routes are likely to follow.



A six-month trial scheme to switch off 130 street lights along the A444 between Binley Road, near Gosford Green, and the Ricoh Arena roundabout will begin on Saturday, December 1. The city council has already identified other possible locations where they may extend the scheme.

They include Pickford Way, the section of the A45 between the Windmill Hill roundabout and the city boundary at the junction with Oak Lane as well as Kenilworth Road, past the A45 junction and out to the city boundary heading towards Kenilworth.

Coventry City Council believes the measure could save the taxpayer up to £20,000 annually. Similar initiatives in neighbouring Warwickshire have come under heavy criticism from residents and some politicians.

But unlike Warwickshire, Coventry City Council insist there are no plans to switch off any lights in residential areas.

Coun Rachel Lancaster, cabinet member for public services, said: “My pledge not to switch off lights in residential areas still stands. This is about identifying roads that aren’t used by pedestrians – where traffic has no need to stop – and trialling an idea that will save cash and reduce our carbon footprint.

“The A444 has been carefully chosen because it does not have any pavements or parking. It’s a dual carriageway which means vehicles are travelling in the same direction and are separated from vehicles travelling in the opposite direction by a central reservation.

“We will closely monitor the effects on traffic to assess the impact that switching off the lighting will have.

“A great deal of research has already been undertaken and I am sure that lots of drivers will have driven on sections of motorway and other roads that aren’t lit at all.

“Many other towns and cities are also switching off lights on roads like this.

“There are significant savings to be made that can then be reinvested into improving lighting in public and pedestrian areas.”

Advance notice signs will go up along the route from Monday to inform drivers about the trial switch-off. All of the junctions will remain fully lit. Areas around pedestrian crossing points will also remain lit.