Plans by Cheshire East to turn off 'a high proportion' of its 40,000 street lights to save money could result in an increase in crime and attacks on women - Crewe councillors said.

The council is currently consulting, in its budget proposals, on plans to reduce the number and timing of street lighting in the borough from September 2023

Crewe councillor Laura Smith (Labour), who was speaking as a visiting councillor about a notice of motion on safe night-time travel for workers, said: "Lighting on our streets is so important for the safety of people, especially women.

Crewe Labour councillor, Cllr Laura Smith (Wikimedia Commons).

"It's proven that places that are dark and unlit are places where more attacks do happen."

Cllr Hazel Faddes (Crewe East, Labour), told the committee a number of streetlights had been out for a few weeks where she lived and it was 'terrifying' walking the road in the dark.

She said on one occasion carers had not been able to see the path to visit a person they were looking after, 'so I very much disagree with any cuts to our streetlights, especially in the urban areas'.

Cllr Phil Williams (Alsager, Liberal Democrats), suggested if lights had to be switched off it could be targeted to areas where there might be some ecological value in doing so.

He suggested in areas where there might be light pollution, 'thereby steering it away from urban areas where they have problems with theft and safety etc'.

Crewe East Labour councillor, Cllr Hazel Faddes (Cheshire East Council).

Gawsworth councillor Lesley Smetham (Conservative), said: "In rural parts we don't have street lighting."

She said maybe street lighting in critical danger spots or problem areas could continue, but added there are other methods of lighting properties.

Mike Barnett, the council's head of highways, told the committee if the proposal in the budget is approved when it goes to full council at the end of February, 'it is about turning off some lights entirely or turning some of the lights off part of the time'.

He said the actual detail of which ones would be switched off and when would depend on a number of factors.

This includes road use, road hierarchy, and added the comments about ecology and light pollution were relevant if it could be done.

New street lighting around Crewe's temporary bus station (Ryan Parker).

He said: "To get to the savings, there would be a high proportion of the 40,000 streetlights we have across the borough that would have to have some form of measure either turned off entirely or part of the time."

There was also concern from Macclesfield Labour councillor, Liz Braithwaite - believing the streetlight switch-off 'may aid the criminals.'

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