More streets lights could be switched off in Dorset to save money
Dorset Council say it could save them £10m over the next 25 years
Last updated 9th Nov 2022
Switching off more street lights in parts of Dorset is expected to save £10m over the next 25 years.
That's taking into account the rise in energy bills.
Council bosses insist any road that has its lights turned off overnight is assessed to identify any safety concerns.
Aiden Dunn is Dorset Council's chief financial officer. He told us:
"We take a risk-based approach. Street lights is about community safety, be that residents walking or driving. So we assess each area."
Mr Dunn says they will work with Dorset Police to determine which areas can have their lights turned off.
"Where it's in our judgement appropriate to do so we do turn some of the street lights off at night in the more rural locations, the less populated areas. But the busy areas we keep the lights on from a safety prospective. So it's a fine balance there.
He says they've also used government funding to improve their buildings:
"With windows we have made them much more airtight in terms of insulation, solar panels heat pumps, that sort of thing. So we are doing everything we can to keep energy use down and be more energy efficient."