Residents left in the dark after streetlight cuts

Andrew waller and sue hunter

Cllr Andrew Waller and local campaigner Sue Hunter at the blind bend on Acomb Green

Liberal Democrat councillors say cuts to streetlight checks are leaving many areas of the city in the dark.

In 2013, Labour run City of York Council decided to end ‘night scouting’- the routine checking (scouting) for faulty streetlights by council officers. The council said it would rely on the public to report any faults. Lib Dem councillors ‘called-in’ the decision, but Labour forced through the controversial plans.

Lib Dem councillors now say there is a growing backlog of faulty lights with some taking weeks to repair. Cllr Andrew Waller says he has reported 50 faulty lights in the Westfield ward alone and concerns have been raised with him over public safety. He has also arranged for some tree trimming in the ward where streetlights have been covered by branches.

Cllr Andrew Waller, Lib Dem Councillor for Westfield, commented:

“Residents are concerned that there are black spots where street lighting is poor or non-existent. We need a clear plan to improve the lighting of streets. In Westfield there is a blind bend on Acomb Green at the junction with Askham Lane which does not have any street lighting and a large number of residents have raised concerns with local Lib Dems.

“Residents have contacted me saying that they would feel a lot more at ease going out at night if there was better lighting in particular areas, such as where trees are currently blocking out lights.”

Cllr Ann Reid, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Transport and Environmental Services, commented:

“We warned that the ending of night scouting would cause problems. Solely relying on residents to report issues is not an ideal system. During the summer months people don’t always notice the lights are out so there was an increase in reports once the clocks went back. This creates a backlog, which officers are now struggling to catch-up with. Regular checking prevents this.

“Labour introduced the cut without proper public consultation and they failed to take account of the problems caused the last time the council stopped night-scouting about 15 years ago. Residents expect their council tax to cover basic things like good streetlights and roads, but while Labour find millions to spend on city-centre vanity projects these basic services continue to be hit.”