subject: Dim the Lights [print this page] Having had their budgets cut considerably since the dawn of the new government, local councils are coming up with weird and wonderful ways to save money in their constituencies. But Louise Ellman, Senior MP, has voiced her concerns over a plan from Shropshire Council, who are considering dimming or completely switching off lights on the roads to save money and cut carbon emissions.
With only a quarter of drivers on the road between the hours of seven and eight in the evening, this is when forty percent of road accidents happen, which echoes that driving in the dark or twilight is far more dangerous than driving in the daylight.
Edmund King, President of the AA's thoughts mirror the concern felt by Miss Ellman.
"There is a fear that in some areas these switch-offs could lead to more crashes and crime," Mr King said. "Lighting can improve safety for drivers, riders, and pedestrians and deter street crime. The public are in favour of street lighting as a way of improving road safety. Cyclists and pedestrians are more at risk on unlit streets. Local authorities should consider more environmentally-friendly lighting, that can save them 46 a light, rather than putting us all in the dark. In terms of reducing CO2, AA research shows that local authorities will have more effect improving traffic flow than turning off the lights."
Top authorities in this area are suggesting an alternative, whereby the councils assess the area on its merits and dim the lights accordingly rather than having a mass switch off across their areas.
If there are more accidents on the roads then Car Insurance Quotes will be inflated, which with the current climate could see less drivers on the road on the whole.
