Plans to dim streetlights in five Slough areas have been met by a public outcry as many raise safety issues amid high crime rates in the area.

Yesterday (February 3) Slough Borough Council announced plans to trial dimming street lights in the town to save electricity "one streetlight at a time".

The five areas chosen for the trial, which will run from February 13, include:

  • Rochfords Gardens and Goodman Park estates
  • Maplin Park
  • Colnbrook
  • Part of Cippenham Green
  • Northern part of Britwell

However, residents have reported that they hadn't been consulted and consider it unreasonable due to the "high council tax rates".

One woman has raised concerns about female safety stating that it is easy for predators to lurk and follow women who are often forced to use phone torches to see in dark streets.

Another woman added: "I don’t know about others but I definitely don’t feel safe walking home in the dark and with dimmed lights, even less so."

In December 2022 174 crimes were reported in Colnbrook, of which 68 related to violence and sex offences, 39 related to vehicle crime and 14 related to burglaries.

A similar number of crimes were reported in Cippenham, alongside 20 incidents of disorder and 17 incidents of criminal damage.

The Observer has reached out to Thames Valley Police for comment about the safety of these plans.