Street lights switch-off ‘will see crime rise’ (From Echo)
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Street lights switch-off ‘will see crime rise’
10:20am Saturday 20th June 2009 in
A MAN is spearheading a campaign to stop the overnight switch-off of street lights across Essex.
Charles March said the plans, currently being reviewed by Essex County Council, would be a nightmare and violent crime would inevitably rocket.
The plan was recently piloted between midnight and 5am in Maldon and Uttlesford.
Mr March, 65, of High Barnet, Pitsea, also believes the move would not save much taxpayers’ money and would have little effect on the environment.
He said: “They have tested it in more rural parts of the county, but not somewhere big like Basildon, Chelmsford or Colchester yet, where things are completely different.
“My main objections are the impact it will have on crime, when residents have to be kept in darkness.
“They’re talking nonsense about the environment. It won’t have the slightest effect in the overall picture.
“When the council has to deal with billions of pounds, it’s hardly going to save that much money either.”
The council said that in areas where the scheme was trialled, the number of crimes fell, while costs were saved because electricity usage fell by a third, which was better for the environment.
Scott Wilson, county council spokesman, said a safer communities committee was looking at whether the scheme could be applied countywide, but had not made a decision yet.
He said: “There are all sorts of exceptions. It’s only areas that are least used.
“Main roads, town centre lights and lights around the town centre would not be turned off.”
Mr March has asked anyone interested in joining his campaign to call him on 01268 451811.
Comments(10)
Tone-Fu
says...
5:25pm Sat 20 Jun 09
dodgee wrote:Rural Bulgaria?
I do not,agree with Mr. March as the experiences I have had in rural Bulgaria where they have turned the street lighting off from appx. 10.30pm has not added to a serious crime wave appearing.
I say give it a try, it can always be reveresed later if needed.
Yeah, that's a real hotbed of street crime.
It WILL raise the instances of street crime in towns and cities, no question.
The money we save in power costs will be spent on Policing. Plus we'll end up with a lot more people being hurt.
Stupid idea.
Jacqui southend
says...
6:21pm Sat 20 Jun 09
Soozie
says...
6:24am Sun 21 Jun 09
evilc
says...
8:53am Sun 21 Jun 09
If we can produce energy using nuclear technology and we can afford to pay for it using more energy at non peak hours will make no difference.
We can then put the spent fuel on Canvey behind where Ray Howard lives and we will have solved the UK's problems, Ray might turn green but it makes a change from the normal red nose colour.
ShipShape
says...
11:42am Sun 21 Jun 09
Mr March must go out every night for a month in downtown Basildon during 'lights out'.
At the end of the month we can scrape whats left of him together and ask if he still thinks its a good idea, if he does, he can show off by spending a further month going out.
Then we use a psychic to contact Mr March and ask what he thinks of it then.
Winston Smith
says...
11:46am Sun 21 Jun 09
Why? Because energy companies have profit margins to maintain. If people use less energy, the suppliers will just charge more for the energy we DO use to keep their profits in the black, and their shareholders happy.
Its simple economics.
VictoriaLS
says...
12:02pm Sun 21 Jun 09
Dan_
says...
10:57am Mon 22 Jun 09
Winston Smith wrote:Couldn't agree more. It makes me sick the way things are already headed, i'm sure energy suppliers must think all of their christmasses have come at once. Make people use less electricity under the banner of 'save the planet', whilst simaltaneously increase prices under the banner of 'were running out of fossil fuels so its more expensive to supply' or 'environmentally friendly energy sources are expensive to supply!' Its quite simple. There is still too many people making money from oil. More so now than ever probably because of the above. Grrr.
All this 'switch off to save money' is nonsense anyway. It doesn't matter how little energy you use, the cost will always rise.
Why? Because energy companies have profit margins to maintain. If people use less energy, the suppliers will just charge more for the energy we DO use to keep their profits in the black, and their shareholders happy.
Its simple economics.
Thames Gateway
says...
11:18pm Mon 22 Jun 09
Personally I would welcome the street lights in my street being turned off in the small hours, but I recognise that many have legitimate concerns for this as their perception of safety appears to be at variance with mine.
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dodgee says...
5:20pm Sat 20 Jun 09
I say give it a try, it can always be reveresed later if needed.