Somerset lights switched off in energy saving scheme
Lights in selected areas around Somerset will be switched off or dimmed in Somerset County Council's plan to save money and reduce carbon emissions.
The council have been given £500,000 by South West Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership to reduce lighting between midnight and 0530.
The project aims to convert about 20% of the 48,000 street lights it manages to part-night operation.
The council said it would not identify where the affected lighting would be.
A council spokeswoman said: "Some of the parish councils want their lights switched off after midnight but have requested not to be named."
Councillor David Hall said: "We are being very careful that the lighting of areas around major traffic routes, key pedestrian crossings, road hazards, vulnerable people's residences, hospitals, and crime hot spots are not affected."
A similar scheme by South Gloucestershire Council has faced recent problems with some of the lights in Bradley Stoke malfunctioning after being adjusted.
The council said: "The effects of part-night lighting will be monitored over two years at six-month intervals.
"Full-time lighting may be re-installed if police report an increase in crime, anti-social behaviour, or traffic accidents as a result of the lighting changes," he added.