NEON lights could brighten up “dark and dingy” subways as part of a £100,000 plan to build a welcoming “gateway to Pitsea.”

Council bosses are set to embark on a mission to liven up the town centre as they want to stop visitors and residents feeling unsafe and getting lost in subways.

The subways, between Pitsea town centre and the train station, will see a minimum of £100,000 splashed on improvements, pending approval next week.

To stop new visitors getting lost, the “gateway” could include multi-coloured lights, pointing them “in the right direction.”

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The lights would be built into the floor. The plan would include increased CCTV.

Craig Rimmer, Pitsea councillor and chair of Leisure and Environment, said: “It’s really exciting. When you arrive at Pitsea, and you’re not familiar with the area, it can be confusing.

“It’s about welcoming people and reducing crime.

“A woman was attacked down there recently.

“It’s not at all welcoming down there at the moment.”

The Echo understands the council is looking for “partners” for the plan.

This would allow more than £100,000 to be spent.

In April, a good samaritan was punched after stepping in to help a man who was beaten and robbed by a pair of thugs at the station.

The victim was travelling to work at 6.30am when he was jumped by a man and a woman.

The pair shouted a tirade of abuse at him before punching him in the chin before a passing cyclist stopped to intervene and was also attacked.

A council report reads: “Community safety and environmental improvements need to concentrate on the gateway into Pitsea Town Centre from the railway station to create a more welcoming look and feel.

“It is proposed to initially undertake an accompanied walkabout from the town centre to the railway station to establish where the improvements need to be made.

“The outcome of the walkabout would be to identify what the community safety and environmental issues are, what needs to happen and who needs to take the lead on resolving the issues identified.