COUNCILLORS have expressed deep concerns over Wiltshire Council’s decision to turn off streetlights in Melksham, Bradford on Avon, Warminster and Westbury next month in a bid to save money.

The news was made public at Melksham’s area board meeting on Wednesday, to the dismay of councillors who were left in the dark over the plans.

From July 1, Melksham and Westbury will be plunged into darkness between midnight and 5.30am with Bradford on Avon and Warminster following on August 5.

Cllr Gordon King, who represents Westbury East, is shocked at the cost-cutting measure and how town and parish councils had no consultation.

“I do have safety concerns. Westbury can be quite a dark place and there will always be people about at that time of the night who work. Although we have pavements in some areas, there are some places where people might not have access to them and that is where I am concerned about how vulnerable they will be,” Cllr King added.

“There is still a night time economy particularly on weekends and it does concern me as well that they haven’t considered this.”

The scheme, which was subject to consultation in 2012, began last year and saves Wiltshire Council £300,000 a year. The current electricity bill for 40,000 streetlights is over £1.2m a year.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, who represents Melksham South, believes Wiltshire Council has ignored the findings of the consultation, which outlined alternatives to switching lights off completely.

Cllr Hubbard said: “I do not remember having a consultation about it. There are a considerable number of safety concerns and When this idea was first discussed at a scrutiny meeting in 2012, there were a series of recommendations, one being to convert the lights to LED. The cost savings of LED lights were producing the same sort of savings as turning them off.”

“What makes me angry is that there was this report done and the numbers came from officers about savings of using alternatives.”

The news comes just weeks after the inquest into Melksham woman Cheryl Richards found that a lack of streetlighting was a contributing factor into her death.

Ms Richards, 31, from Berryfield Lane was killed on the stretch of road between Leap Gate and Ashton Road roundabouts in Hilperton last September, when she was walking home from a party.

Cllr Ernie Clark, who said at the time streetlighting needs to be reviewed by Wiltshire Council, believes the countywide initiative is not worth the savings if the lives of residents are put in danger.

He said: “It just seems a foolhardy way for the council to save money. We all accept that savings need to be made but you are jeopardising people’s lives.", albeit not very often, but the heartache caused is something which is a step too far.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said lights at junctions, pedestrian crossings and areas where safety is a concern, will remain on all night. A six-month review will assess the scheme.