Southampton street lights to switch-off overnight
It'll save £400,000 a year
Last updated 15th Feb 2023
The councillor who has been at the forefront of Southampton City Council’s new Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy has said he is ‘satisfied’ with the plan to turn off street lights at night.
Councillor Matthew Renyard said that the council ‘will not sacrifice safety’ in doing so.
The proposal to switch off street lights in residential parts of the city every night between 1am and 4am is an attempt for the council to save up to £400,000 a year to help pay for a shortfall of more than £20m in the budget.
The council is adamant that it will ‘regularly review’ the areas, will not put any high-risk areas into darkness and will ‘listen to any concerns’.
The VAWG strategy, which was approved by the cabinet in December and will last up until 2027, highlighted that £190,000 had been secured by the council, in part, to improve street lighting.
The VAWG strategy report states: “The VRU (Violence Reduction Unit) is continuing to bid for Home Office funding to improve the safety of women and girls in the night-time economy and in public places.
“The £190,000 was secured via the Safer Streets 3 Fund to improve education, enhance LED lighting, implement CCTV in known hotspots, and to expand awareness campaigns for support services for survivors/victims of VAWG.”
The report goes on to state what the council plans to do over the next four years.
“Data gathered by partners will be used to improve safety, and feelings of safety, for women and girls in Southampton by informing changes to the local environment (for example street lighting and CCTV) and improving safety on public transport.”
However, the council will not turn off lighting in ‘known hotspots’.
Cllr Renyard said: “We will not sacrifice safety – and anyone with any concerns of particular location should contact the council.
“The city centre, district and local shopping centres (including those in Bitterne, Woolston, Portswood and Shirley), main roads across the city, key bus routes, key locations monitored by CCTV, our two hospitals, community hubs, known anti-social behaviour hotspots and our parks will all remain switched on.
“Following liaison with emergency services including the fire service and ambulance service who have both indicated that they do not feel that this initiative will impact them and the police have all contributed their expertise and feedback on this proposal.
“I am satisfied that the Southampton City team’s plan is a common-sense approach which will see not just significant savings but also less light pollution, for a more energy-aware and greener city.”