The lights are going down in Nantwich as part of cost-cutting measures by Cheshire East Council.
Street lighting is being removed and reduced on roads across the town and surrounding villages under new proposals.
Some lights will be switched off for good on some A and B roads between towns and villages.
This has already happened on some Nantwich routes, including sections of Elwood Road and Peter de Stapleigh Way in Stapeley, and sections of the A534 between Acton and Nantwich.
Others will be dimmed to 60% of normal strength to save money on streets passing through local communities.
This includes Beam Street, Waterlode, Park Road, Station Road, Audlem Road, Middlewich Road, Peter de Stapleigh Way, and Crewe Road between Nantwich and Willaston.
And on housing estates in the town, a new part-night lighting scheme will be introduced with lights switched off between midnight and 5.30-6.30am.
Cllr Rod Menlove, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “These changes are just part of our ongoing drive to reduce our energy consumption across the Borough.
“I want to reassure residents we will choose the most suitable approach for where they live.
“We have successfully trialed changes to street lighting in Wilmslow where 80 per cent of the local community was behind the scheme.
“There is absolutely no evidence that switching off street lights on stretches of roads has a detrimental effect on road safety and, in fact, has improved road safety in many areas.”
Cheshire East Highways has consulted with Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service regarding the proposals.
To find out how it could affect your area, visit www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/
Cheshire East Council intend to keep us in the dark yet again!
Yet again no thought for the safety of cyclists in Cheshire!
I am a keen cyclist and use my bike to commute whenever I can but I will avoid cycling down unlit roads, as do many other cyclists I know, so these measures will inevitably lead to more car journeys and fewer bike miles!
If Cheshire really wants to be green why dosen’t it address other serious safety issues for cyclists? For example:Repairs to badly damaged road surfaced – e.g. Chelford Road, Prestbury; Investment in dedicated cycle routes – for example along the old A34, which is plenty wide enough? I could go on…………………
Using carbon reduction as an excuse for dimmer streets is a disgrace. I for one will not continue to cycle from Nantwich to Crewe station with no street lighting, and will drive. My journey in itself will balance the reduction in carbon in itself.
I notice the lights are now out from Malbank school to Acton, how is this safe for anyone walking this route in darkness?
I think this is a short-sighted policy which will inevitably lead to trouble for some residents. But CEC don’t foot the bill for road accidents or burglaries, do they? CEC’s gain will be omebody else’s additional cost.
I have noticed this over the last couple of weeks, along with the signs informing folks that the street lights are not in use. I have to say – Im in favour, though I did laugh at the probable expense involved in the production and placement of signs. Having recently been burgled at night then Im a bit concerned about street lighting being turned down on housing estates – but I suppose it should be my responsibility to provide my own security lighting (not sure this just makes it easier to see what they are doing when they break in though!!). In terms of the environment, it can only be a good thing.
Maybe if Cheshire East had not have overspent on their budget AGAIN, then they could afford to leave the lights on & not have to reduce our safety on the streets and roads. HMS CEC is sinking fast!