After reading the article in the Western Telegraph dated 28th March about an attack on a man in Haverfordwest in the early hours of Sunday morning March 18th, I felt I had to write to voice my extreme concerns regarding street lighting.

In that article people are advised (and sensibly so) by PC 136 Evans to avoid poorly lit alleys and to walk home in well lit and populated areas after dark.

Pembrokeshire County Council has seen fit to switch off street lighting at night in many populated areas thus plunging them into total darkess. Since these unwarranted actions by Pembrokeshire County Council I have spoken to many elderly and/or disabled people, they hate the total darkness and are very afraid the crime rate will soar and they becoming possible victims of burglary or worse.

I have already spoken to a person at Pembrokeshire County Council regarding the street lighting and the effects on the elderly etc and was told that it was decided to switch off the street lights at 12 midnight (now 1 a.m. due to summer time) as most elderly people would be in bed by then and it was to reduce the councils costs and our carbon footprint! (I would argue about our carbon footprint given the state of some other countries and their wars etc!) There must be better and safer ways of saving money? Will the council ensure we have more police on foot and on patrol to ensure the safety of people during these enforced hours of darkness? I doubt it very much!

I also find it appalling that even Warden Controlled areas for the vulnerable elderly and disabled are targeted, surely these and other sensitive areas should not have their street lighting turned off? We may be at the start of the summer months but I trust, as I am sure hundreds of other people do, that this ridiculous state of affairs concerning street lighting will not be allowed to continue when the next winter is upon us and the street lighting put back on during the hours of darkness!

R H White Kilgetty