Warwickshire street lighting timings to change

Street lights in Warwickshire are to be turned off an hour later at weekends during the winter months following feedback from residents.

The local authority changed the time in Warwick District to 01:00 until 06:30 GMT during Christmas holidays.

This will continue at weekends for a trial period, but the lights will be off between 00:00 and 05:30 GMT from Sunday to Thursday.

The council will decide on a pattern that best suits the summer months.

'Necessary savings'

Some of the district's lights were first turned off early in December in a bid to cut costs and help reduce carbon emissions.

Councillor Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council's portfolio holder for highways and transport, said: "We have always said that this is a work in progress and we will try to be flexible and work with residents to refine to best suit patterns of movement and travel at night.

"This change in timings will enable us to still make the necessary savings while addressing what some people are saying about the lights going off at midnight."

In December, the council, which pays £2.2m each year towards street lighting, said about 80% of all its lights would be included in the part-time switch-off by April and that those operated by town or district councils will not be affected.