Part Time Night Lighting called in by Lib Dem councillors

Liberal Democrat County Councillors David Kendall and Barry Aspinell have called in the decision to introduce Part Night Time Lighting in the Brentwood Borough Council area. There reasons for doing so are as follows:

• Many roads in Brentwood are littered with potholes that are difficult to negotiate in the daylight hours never mind in the pitch black. These represent a serious safety issue. There needs to be a major pothole repair programme instigated as soon as possible across the borough to make our roads safer for motorists and pedestrians before any introduction of part night time lighting.

• We have a number of footpaths in Brentwood that are in need of urgent repair. These will constitute an even greater danger to pedestrians when there is no lighting. There needs to be a major repair programme instigated across the Borough to make our pavements safer for pedestrians before any introduction of part night time lighting.

• There is a lack of evidence presented into the impact that part night time lighting would have on urban districts such as on crime rates and the fear of crime and anti social behaviour.

• Brentwood has a very strong night time economy and there is concern that this will be adversly affected by the introduction of part night time lighting.

The matter will now be considered by the Cabinet Member for Highways Cllr Rodney Bass, officer and members of the Place Services and Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee before any final decision is made.

Cllr David Kendall said:

"We believe it would be very irresponsible of the County Council to introduce part night time lighting across the borough when we have roads littered with deep potholes and footpaths in urgent need of repair. We are also not convinced that residents concerns about possible increases in crime and anti social behaviour have been properly addressed. Last year Brentwood residents paid £33 million in Council Tax to Essex County Council and we want to see more of that money spent back here in the Borough on the issues that really matter to our residents".