Shropshire council argues that the blackout will not compromise public safety

Shropshire council has released an interactive map showing where street lights will be switched off overnight.

The controversial “part-night lighting” programme, which was approved in September 2011, involves 70 per cent of the street lights owned and maintained by Shropshire council.

The scheme is set to begin next month and will see certain street lights switch on from dusk until midnight. They will then light up again at 5.30am and remain on until dawn.

Shropshire residents have been invited to check how the lights near them will be affected by using an interactive map, which allows people to enter their postcode and search for their area.

The council hopes to reduce energy use by up to 1,000 tonnes per year, which is around 21 per cent of the current street lighting emissions.

Councillor Simon Jones defended the programme, saying: “We have had detailed discussions with the emergency services and town and parish council representatives about which lights are included in the scheme, and it is important to remember that every street light will still be on until midnight.”

Some street lights in the area are exempt from the scheme because they are maintained by parish or town councils. In addition, some street lights will not be included because they are near busy road junctions, sheltered housing or other safety concerns.

The news follows a rash of negative news stories for councils that have implemented similar street lighting strategies.

In February, Northamptonshire County Council decided to end a blackout along a stretch of road after a nine-year-old was injured in a road traffic collision.

Last December, the family of a soldier who was killed on a road in Somerset blamed his death on a street lighting blackout.

A West Mercia Police spokesperson confirmed that policing teams will be monitoring the effects of Shropshire Council’s lighting changes closely.