Street light works help residents to feel ‘safer’
BRIGHTER LIGHTING SCHEME IS BEING FUNDED BY £550K FROM THE HOME OFFICE’S SAFER STREETS FUND
WORKS to improve street lighting in part of a Nottinghamshire town have got underway with some saying the upgrade to brighter lighting will make them feel “safer” at night.
One resident of Newark said she had felt “scared” in the past when walking along some of roads that will have new lights put in.
The roads - which are based around Northgate station will have LED lights put in which will light up more of the street and help police with facial recognition if a criminal offence occurs.
Newark and Sherwood District Council have described the £150,000 project as part of an initiative to drive down crime including burglary, vehicle crime and bicycle theft in a targeted way.
Lucy Victoria, a freelance hair and make-up artist who lives on Appleton Gate near where the works are taking place, said: “I think this is a really good idea. I used to commute to London everyday and would get home really late at night.
“It’s a short walk to my house from the station but it would be really dark and I’ve felt a little a bit scared walking around there at night before.
“I think there could be a heavier police presence around here too. It would be nice to see them out patrolling a bit more.”
The works - which began last Friday (October 30) - are part of the ‘safer streets’ partnership being delivered by Nottinghamshire Police, Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping, Nottinghamshire County Council, Newark and Sherwood District Council and Via East Midlands.
The work will see the replacement of 72 older sodium lights in the Chatham Court, Albert Street, Castle Brewery Court, Eldon Street, Hardwick Avenue, Harewood Avenue, Princes Street, Rufford Avenue, Southend Avenue and Spring Gardens areas of Chatham Court.
Meanwhile, 31 new lights will be fitted in Lovers Lane, Alliance Street, George Street, Mumby Close, Tithe Barn Court and Warburton Street.
George Peet, co-director at Malcolm Peet Garage on Queen’s Road off Lovers Lane, has a different view of the lighting project.
The Lincolnshire resident said: “I’ve read about how street lighting doesn’t massively deter crime and to be honest
I think I agree with that. I’m not really around here much late at night so I don’t know about how dark it gets really.
“I do think the authorities could save some money with a different approach to the issues here. They should focus on crime prevention and target those causing it.”
Nottinghamshire secured £550k from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund which is being channelled into a series of crime prevention measures in the Chatham and Northgate areas.
LED lights emit white light which gives improved colour rendering and can help with police identification and CCTV. It is hoped the higher level of luminance will also reassure residents and improve the look of the area at night.
Nottinghamshire’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Emma Foody visited the Chatham Court and Lovers Lane area of the town where Via East Midlands street lighting operatives are upgrading existing lighting.
She said: “The addition of new lighting in these areas will make a huge difference to public confidence and will help to reduce the fear of crime while also assisting police to detect crime.”
Chief Inspector Elizabeth Rogers, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This very welcome improvement programme will play a positive role in our ongoing work to tackle burglaries, bicycle thefts and vehicle crime.
“Burglary in particular is a deeply upsetting crime that can have a lasting impact on people whose homes and lives have been violated. Targeting those responsible and protecting people’s property is a key neighbourhood priority and I am sure that this