Streetlights stay on for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
Essex County Council has announced it will help local businesses and residents to enjoy the Christmas and New Year celebrations by keeping all street lights switched on in the early hours of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Cllr Eddie Johnson, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways Delivery, said: “As a seasonal gesture of goodwill, all street lights will remain on the night on the mornings of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
“The Council wants to help residents celebrate Christmas and the countdown to 2016 by enabling the public to enjoy late-night festive events including Midnight Mass and New Year’s Eve parties.”
Part night lighting usually operates on streetlights across most of Essex seven days a week between 1am and 5am (midnight until 5am on Monday mornings).
It is currently on course to save taxpayers approximately £1.4 million this financial year as well as saving carbon emissions.
Cllr Johnson added: “There has been no change to the Essex County Council street lighting policy. There is absolutely no evidence of increased crime or accidents across the county since the implementation of part night lighting.”
Essex County Council streetlights always remain on in areas where well-established exemption criteria apply.
