Street Lighting (Hansard, 7 March 1991)

Mr. Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will include a provision specifically for street lighting in the urban programme.

§ Mr. Key
Urban programme resources are not allocated to particular project types. It is for each local authority to decide whether it wishes to include projects involving street lighting improvements in its individual programme. However, the recently published guidance for urban programmes for 1992–93 indicates that UP resources may be used to good effect to support lighting schemes in residential areas.

Mr. Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the relationship between the quality of urban living and the effectiveness of street lighting.

§ Mr. Key
Our action for cities objectives acknowledge the relationship between the quality of life in inner cities and reducing crime in these areas. Current research commissioned and being carried out by the Home Office is assessing the effect of improved street lighting on crime and the fear of crime. Additionally, this Department is currently undertaking a review of known research and information about a wide range of housing-related crime prevention measures. This includes a more detailed analysis of the effects of street lighting improvements on the incidence of robbery and autocrime in inner urban areas.

Mr. Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will include an assessment of the energy efficiency savings of new public street lighting when considering applications under the inner area programme.

§ Mr. Key
Applications for urban programme funding are considered on their merits in the light of the policy framework set out in annual programme guidance. Projects will only be approved for funding which have direct benefits for those who live and work in inner city areas.

Mr. Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will include an assessment of the impact of improved street lighting on the reduction of the fear of crime and actual crime when considering bids under the inner area programme.

§ Mr. Key
Applications for urban programme funding are considered on their merits in the light of the policy framework set out in annual programme guidance. Projects will only be approved for funding which have direct benefits for those who live and work in inner city242W areas. The Home Office are currently considering the results of research undertaken by the university of Southampton to assess the impact of improved street lighting on crime and the fear of crime in the London borough of Wandsworth. In addition, they are monitoring the link between lighting improvements and crime in four other urban programme areas in England.