Unlit Shropshire roads 'putting drivers at risk'

Shropshire Council's energy-saving scheme to turn off lights between midnight and 5am could be putting motorists at serious risk, it has been revealed by figures unveiled by the AA today.

• Government figures showed that over the past five years, accidents in hours of darkness on built-up roads where there is street lighting fell 18.6 per cent overall, and 24 per cent in the wet, snow and ice.

• Where street lights were turned off or not present in the first place, the number of accidents fell by 12 per cent overall and 16.7 per cent in bad weather.

• On lit roads in 40mph sections, accidents overall dropped by 24.1 per cent and 30.4 per cent in bad conditions.

• Where areas are unlit within this speed limit, there had only been a 10.4 per cent reduction on both counts.

According to the motoring association, areas where councils have switched to part-time night lighting have not seen the same fall in accidents as those which have continued with full lighting.

It comes after petitions were started in towns around Shropshire in an effort to get the lights turned back on during the night.

One campaign based in Market Drayton, which hopes to see every other light switched back on to give safety to drivers and pedestrians as well as combat crime, has nearly 600 signatures. Another petition in Oswestry has about 1,000.

Shropshire Council, which has converted 12,500 of its 18,300 street lights to part-night lighting, did not want to comment. But the issue has been earmarked for discussion at a full council meeting.

Councillor Tim Beckett, mayor of Market Drayton, said he agrees with the campaign.

He said: "I had two people in dark clothing walk in front of my car last week after the lights had gone out and I only noticed them at the last minute.

"Push bikes without lights are also a major problem but when the street lights are on at least you can see them – you can't see them at all when the lights are off."