Night blackout extends to Stratford district

Following the night-time switch-off in Warwick district in December, the street lights across Stratford district were turned off at 12am on Monday (April 1) for the first time. They will now be off every night from 12am to 5.30am on weekdays and from 1am to 6.30am on weekends.

The change is part of a Warwickshire County Council plan to make financial and carbon emission savings - but after it was introduced in Warwick district before Christmas, there was much opposition, prompting the council to introduce the later timing at the weekend.

In Kenilworth, the town council looked into funding a return of the lights at night in response to upset across the town over the dangers of the midnight blackout.

But 73 per cent of people who voted in a poll rejected the idea, which was estimated to cost around £45,000.

The town council has now put forward a list of ten junctions to be considered for full lighting through the night when Warwickshire County Council reviews the scheme in the autumn.

At the moment, places which the county council has automatically exempted from the switch-off include roundabouts, traffic signal-controlled junctions, pedestrian crossings and around care homes, sheltered accommodation and hospital accident and emergency units.

To find out more about the part-night lighting scheme, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/partnightlighting