Stephen Metcalfe MP welcomes flexible street lighting over Christmas period
Stephen Metcalfe, local Member of Parliament for South Basildon & East Thurrock has today welcomed Essex County Council decision to keep all street lights switched on in the early hours of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day to enable the public to enjoy festive events including Midnight Mass and New Year’s Eve parties.
Essex County Council’s controversial part night lighting (PNL) programme is designed to both save money and reduce energy consumption and has resulted in Council-owned street lights that don’t meet the exception criteria have being turned off between midnight and 5am.
Stephen Metcalfe commented: “I am pleased that the County Council have listened to my and the public’s calls for the street lights to be left on during the festive season and thank them for the flexibility they have shown.”
Stephen continued: “I still have concerns about PNL and I would be interested to hear of people’s experiences on this matter now that it has been in place for some months as the safety and wellbeing of local residents must always be paramount. I want to do everything I can to accurately represent the views of my residents to the County Council.”
“I look forward to working with Essex County Council in seeking reassurances that the needs of the local community will always be kept in mind and would encourage ECC to work with Basildon Borough Council to explore all options for alternative to PNL.”
