At next week’s Council Meeting, Residents’ Association and Independent County Councillors will be making a bid to re-instate all-night streetlighting across Surrey in line with the national campaign supported by the Government for safer streets and following the tragic murder of Sarah Everard on the evening of 3 March 2021.

In a move to save money Surrey County Council turned off the county’s street lights overnight in November 2016, but the controversial decision has never been accepted by many residents and in recent months there has been a growing call, particularly from women, for the streetlights to remain on, as residents of the county fear un-safe walking home at night.

In Tuesday’s Full Council meeting of Surrey County Council Residents’ Association Councillor Eber Kington representing Ewell Court, Auriol & Cuddington will be moving a motion to end the streetlight switch-off and to fund the additional costs out of the £2 million saving on the council’s switch to LED streetlights.  Councillor Eber Kington Councillor Eber Kington said this week:

“At a time when the national political debate and majority opinion is clearly calling for streetlighting to be improved as one of the positive moves that can be taken towards ensuring all residents, and particularly women, feel safe in our streets, the leaders of Surrey County Council have to change their night-time switch-off policy.

The funding is clearly there, it just needs the political will to make the change”.

Councillor Catherine Powell Farnham North Farnham Residents said:

“Everyone has the right to feel safe when walking the streets, yet most if not all women have felt unsafe walking on streets close to their homes when the streetlights are off – I know there are times I have run / jogged home with house keys grasped in my hand or a rape alarm.  Do we want our young women to live with that fear?

There is always a balance between health, safety, cost and the environment.  If the streetlights are converted to LED the cost will be lower but the value and the benefits to women and those who work antisocial hours is high.  The time has come for Surrey County Council to change their nighttime switch-off policy and allow everyone to feel safer walking the streets at night”

Note to editors:  Please see below the full wording of the Motion.

For further Information please contact:

County Councillor Eber Kington 07598 322 406

County Councillor Catherine Powell 07824516433