PLANS TO TURN STREET LIGHTS OFF AT MIDNIGHT

RESIDENTIAL roads in Coventry could be plunged into darkness under council plans to turn street lights off at midnight to save cash.

Plans were revealed as part of the city council’s budget setting process as it looks to plug a £16.7 million funding gap in 2020/21.

But the authority has now confirmed further details of the proposals, which would see street lighting cut from midnight to 5.30am.

Main traffic routes and the city centre would be unaffected, and lights across the city would remain on on Friday and Saturday nights.

The proposals are hoped to save £250,000 in 2020/21 and the same amount in the next three years - taking the total saving to £1m.

The proposals will need to go through scrutiny from councillors as well as a public consultation before approval next year. A council spokesman said: “The council will be consulting on potential street lighting savings which would involve an overnight switch off/dimming of lighting in residential areas (not main traffic routes or city centre) midnight to 5.30am. This would not apply Friday and Saturday nights when the lights will remain on.”

Cabinet member for finance, Cllr John Mutton, added: “Savings on street lights would need to be done without compromising the safety of traffic users.” It is one of a number of cost-cutting measures proposed by the authority as it looks to balance the books. Around £5.5m in ‘service savings’ have been found with Cllr Mutton admitting the authority is “having to make difficult decisions” this year, citing a reduction in government funding. Discussing the wider plans, he added: “We have to balance the budget somewhere.All local authorities are having to make similar decisions because of the funding position that we are in.

“It’s councils that need to keep delivering services in these difficult circumstances but we want to involve local people in helping us target our services.”