YOUNGSTERS will be put in danger if street lights are switched off along the route they walk to school, according to town councillors.

Durham County Council plans to reduce lighting along the A167 to cut carbon emissions and save cash but Ferryhill, Great Aycliffe and Chilton Town Councils have stepped up to save those considered vital to public safety.

Last week (Tuesday, July 21) Chilton Town Council decided how many lights it could fund but urged the county council to reconsider those on a stretch between Chilton and Ferryhill, which is well used by walkers including children.

It would cost the town council £5,460 a year to maintain all the lights within its boundary, which members could not justify.

Instead they are prepared to fund 31 lights from West Chilton Terrace to West Close Cottages at a cost of £2,730 per annum for the next ten years.

But members felt Durham County Council should keep another 15, insisting the authority will put pupils who walk from Chilton to Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College at risk if they are removed.

Town clerk Paul Gray said: “We really hope the county relents and keeps those lights in place, we’re extremely disappointed with the way this issue has been handled.

“A road traffic assessment is one thing but this is an issue of community safety, the two communities of Ferryhill and Chilton are linked by one road and we have pedestrians going up and down there all the time who will be put in danger, particularly during the winter, when those lights go out.

“About three years ago the county designated that as a safe route to school and even stopped free bus travel for some pupils, now they are expecting Chilton families to send pupils along that road which will be pitch black and freezing in winter, it is plain wrong.”

John Reed, head of technical services at Durham County Council, said: “We are only removing street lights where it is safe to do so following a thorough risk assessment.

“Many safe walking routes to school are unlit countywide.

“Provision of street lighting is therefore not necessarily required to ensure that a walking route is safe.

“We have offered Chilton Town Council an agreement to retain the street lights and we are awaiting a final response on how they wish to proceed.”