Louise Ellman, chairman of the Commons Transport committee, also questioned the plans, warning it could damage attempts to cut the death toll on Britain’s roads, particularly at night.
She told the Daily Mail: “I am extremely concerned that financial pressures are leading to steps which can jeopardise people’s lives and increase the number of injuries. We’ve made great progress in recent years in reducing the number of deaths and injuries on our roads. It would be tragic if, by switching the lights off, that progress was to be put back many years.”
The council plans to turn off 40,000 street lights in villages between midnight and 5.30am, as well as switching off 1000 lights in rural areas, and dimming another 2000 during the evenings.
Leicestershire County Council said that it could cut costs up to £700,000 a year by switching off certain street lights in the early hours of the morning.
Mathew Lugg, the councils transport director insisted that the council would never compromise on safety.
He said that roundabouts, junctions and other dangerous points would retain their lights, and said that there is no evidence that the rate of crime would increase, ‘even criminals need to see what they are nicking’.
However, Edward Kind, president of the AA disagreed and said that turning off street lights is potentially dangerous. He said: “Lighting can improve safety for drivers, riders and pedestrians and deter street crime. The public are in favour of street lighting in a way of improving road safety.”