DORSET County Council (DCC) have welcomed results from national research that show that there is no link between part-night street lighting and crashes or crime.

The study, conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in partnership with UCL, suggests that local authorities can safely reduce street lighting at night, saving energy costs and reducing carbon emissions.

Researchers analysed 14 years of data from 62 local authorities across England and Wales who had implemented a range of reduced street light strategies.

These strategies included switching lights off permanently, reducing the number of hours that lamps are switched on at night, dimming lights, and replacing traditional orange lamps with energy efficient white light LED lamps.

Crime and road safety data between 2010 and 2013 was analysed, the type of street lighting used was examined alongside traffic collisions and night-time offences.

The findings suggest that energy saving street lighting adaptations have not increased area level crime in the neighbourhoods that were studied.

DCC, who took part in the survey, recently completed a part-night street lighting programme as part of its drive to reduce energy costs.

Part-night lighting has been rolling out across the county since 2011.

It is operational on all urban residential roads and most rural ones.

DCC worked with Dorset Police, parish and town councils to decide which streets are included in the part-night switch off.

These areas included town centres, designated traffic routes, roundabouts and roads with vertical speed humps. Some areas with higher crime levels, CCTV installations or all night use (near police stations, hospitals) continue to be lit all night.

Cllr Peter Finney, the county council’s Cabinet member for environment, said that the findings of the survey support the results of an earlier investigation by Dorset Police.

He added: “By turning off street lights at midnight (GMT) we are looking at initial savings of at least £300,000 per year. This money can be used to provide essential services for the tax payers of Dorset.

“Although there is no actual link between crime, traffic collisions and turning off streetlights in the early hours, many residents still have a fear of these happening.

“This research by an independent body should help to dispel those fears.”

More information about Dorset’s part – night street lighting can be found on dorsetforyou.com/partnightlighting