Part night lighting - frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about part night lighting.
Question | Answer |
Why is this happening? | The funding that Dorset receives from central government has been reduced, resulting in a gap between the services we used to provide and the money we now have to deliver them, even though the locally set Council Tax remains the same. The full council of elected members for Dorset County Council decided, along with reductions in other service areas, to reduce the total energy budget for our street lighting by 10% to help meet this gap. |
Who made the decision to turn lights off? | Street lighting is not a statutory duty and the only way this 10% budget reduction could be achieved is by turning lights off. Members have agreed to retain all night lighting in essential and high use areas such as CCTV & high crime areas, town centres or high speed roads but to then reduce the service where it is not essential - namely in all our residential roads. |
Which lights will be switched off and why? | Nearly all lights in both urban and rural residential areas will be turned off although some lights in these areas will remain lit, where safety or statutory requirements cannot be met by other means. The lights are being turned off to save money and will also reduce our carbon emissions, the times we have chosen to extinguish the lights coincide with the lowest levels of highway use in residential areas so many residents may not notice the reduction in service. |
Why turn residential roads off? | Although residents may be concerned about minor accidents or property security, any accident or incident is unlikely to have a severe outcome, due to low traffic speeds with very little (if any) pedestrian use after midnight. Officers of Dorset County Council cannot amend the policy set by members and so cannot agree to return all night lighting, unless the situation clearly meets the policy criteria. |
Why can't every other light be left on? | 10% of the total street lighting energy budget equates to all 20,000 of our smaller residential lights being switched off for at least 5.5 hours each night. It is not possible to leave some of these lights on, reduce the time lights are switched off or turn them back on unless the situation clearly meets the policy criteria. |
| At what times will the lights now operate? | From dusk until midnight and then back on again from 5:30am until dawn - if it is still dark. In the summer the lights still operate on GMT so will then go off at 1:00am and back on again at 6:30am. |
| Which lights will remain on? | Lights in Town Centres, on designated traffic routes, roundabouts and roads with vertical speed humps will remain lit all night. Some areas with higher crime levels, CCTV installations or all night use (near police stations, hospitals) may remain lit all night. |
| I am likely to be out after midnight, what am I meant to do? | Anyone using these roads when the lights are switched off needs to make their own assessment of the possible risks, taking their own appropriate actions to mitigate those risks down to an level acceptable to them. |
| I don't like the change, how do I get my light turned back on? | All of Dorset's Town and Parish Councils have been informed of the change and been asked to identify any local safety concerns. It is not possible to consult with, or respond to individual residents - so you will first need to gain the support of your local Town or Parish Council if you feel there is a real public safety issue near your home. If your local council support you then they will contact us directly to make a case for all night lighting to be returned. |
