Residents brand council a 'joke' as more street lights turned off in Binley

Chris Reynolds from Tile Hill said the approach to his house was "completely blacked out"



Streets in Coventry have started to fall dark overnight, as the city council implements its policy of switching off street lights after midnight.

The authority said the policy would save £700,000 a year in energy costs and cut carbon emissions by about a fifth.

But residents in Tile Hill who spoke to BBC CWR said the change was dangerous.

"I can't see very well in low-light conditions, and I have a very limited view of parked cars and people in dark clothing," Chris Reynolds said.

Rosalyn Joul added: "There's a lot of old age pensioners about, and I don't feel it's safe."

One business has started handing out torches to some of its neighbours, to help those arriving at or leaving their homes during the nightly blackouts.

Andy Hawkins from Franklin and Hawkins funeral directors said: "We know lots of the residents. We've been here a long time and we do anything we can to help people."

His wife and colleague, Ann, added: "Around here in these residential streets, you might be three or four minutes from your home.

"You can't always guarantee parking outside your house, and I think for everyone it's a concern, but for women in particular."

John Seddon, the council's strategic lead for policy and innovation, said: "We've specifically targeted the switch-off so that it's when the activity is least."

"We could take £700,000 off our highways maintenance bill and spend less on filling potholes, but there are other safety implications, other customer service implications of that," he added.

The savings contribute to an £8.4m target this financial year, which will also see charging for garden waste and cuts to school transport.

Residents brand council a 'joke' as more street lights turned off in Binley



Areas of Binley have been affected by their streetlights being turned off as Coventry City Council has implemented part-night lighting since May 2024. City roads such as Binley Road, Brindle Avenue, Weir Way, Brinklow Road [pictured above], and George Marston are among the ones affected.

One local resident said the lights have been off for 'several weeks' and branded the move as 'awful' and 'disgusting'. This comes after residents in Tile Hill were also affected earlier this year, with one local business helping out by handing out torches for people to use while they leave or come back to their homes.

In February, the council voted to turn off streetlights in parts of the city from midnight to 5:30am on weeknights and between 1am and 5:30am on weekends to help make cuts and savings to avoid bankruptcy, saving £700,000 per year which can be used to protect 'other vital services'.

Many residents expressed their views online about the turning off of streetlights in Binley. Zoe Whittaker-Corcoran said: "The whole of Coventry is being turned off now, yet we are still paying for street lighting in our council tax."

Keith Haworth said: "Great idea if the council tax didn't increase. So no street lighting and now paying for brown bins, I think someone is taking all of us for fools." Pat Davies added: "They will keep hitting the lights off at night, but keep the fountain running in the middle of town, wasting electricity and water, a joke."

Paul Moyni said: "I'm a night owl so I walk my dog and occasionally travel on foot late at night. Finding the lights being on and off in parches to almost be worse in some spots, my eyes can't adjust to the dark before you get a patch of lighting and then are plunged into pitch black again."

A council spokesperson said: "Earlier this year, we ran a budget consultation about ways the council could save money, and part-night street lighting was one of the proposals that was approved. Part-night street lighting sees the lighting switched off between midnight and 5.30 in the morning on weeknights, and between 1 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. on weekends.

"Not all roads will be affected by the change, as the lights will remain on busier streets and junctions, at controlled crossings, and on public footpaths/alleyways away from roads. In total, around 70% of the streetlights will be switched off overnight.

"We understand people have safety concerns, but areas with high levels of crime or anti-social behaviour will continue to use full-night lighting, and Council officers will be monitoring and reviewing any reports of traffic accidents or crime levels in areas using part-night lighting over the coming months to ensure people’s safety.

"However, the majority of local authorities who use this scheme across the nation have reported drops in crime levels after switching to part-night lighting. Part-night lighting contributes to the city’s green agenda, with around 412 tonnes of CO2 saved, and is set to save the council approximately £700,000 per year, which we can use to help fund other vital services across the city."

Residents demand street lights are turned back on as cost-cutting measures branded 'dangerous'



Hundreds of people in Coventry are calling on the council to keep the city's street lights on overnight. Residents claim a new switch-off policy is "dangerous" and some say they do not feel safe.

Around 70% of Coventry's streetlights are being turned off from midnight to 5am in a bid by the council to save money. The move was agreed by councillors in February and has been rolled out across the city since May 2024.

But it has sparked an outcry among locals and 918 people are backing an online petition calling for the move to be reversed. Organiser Helen Back claimed she has been hit by the "dangerous consequences" of the policy.

"My car has been broken into and damaged, creating not only financial strain but a sense of insecurity," she wrote on the change.org page. It affects people working unsociable hours, the elderly and dog walkers up early, she added.

"The darkness places us at further risk of theft or accidents." Local crime rates are higher, the concerned resident claimed. She called on the council to "restore our street lights at night and make our streets safe again."

Others also alleged that the move had sparked a rise in crime and stressed that they no longer feel safe. Resident Claire Platt commented: "Crime and vulnerability, no longer feel safe out when the lights are off. It's horrible," while Sheila Medlock said: "Crime in my area has increased and perception of individual personal safety has declined in my area as a result of this policy."

A petition supporter named Binley Binley said there has been a "visual increase in crime" but claimed most of this goes unreported. This includes the first burglary on their road for 14 years and "cars doing donuts on a main road."

Rookie Chuckie added: "It is very dark in the night after the lights go out and vandalism on cars and theft of plant pots and bird feeders have been noticed since it is difficult to be spotted." Supporter Kiran Patel simply said: "It's dangerous and ridiculous."