Street lighting for "mugger's paradise"
AN alleyway once described as a "mugger's paradise" will be transformed by street lighting before Christmas.
Street poles which will put the spotlight on a Benhall pedestrian path and cycleway will be installed and turned on in the coming months.
Councillor Jacky Fletcher (C, Benhall, The Reddings) has been campaigning to get a lights near the path off Whittington Road for nearly a year.
She said many residents were scared to use the path as it was dark and dangerous.
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But the new lights will be installed by Christmas to the pathway between the A40 and Amber Care Home.
She said: "This is great news for residents and it is something I have been campaigning about for a while."
Mrs Fletcher previously said she was worried the walkway would become a mugger's paradise without lighting.
She was concerned it would be targeted by criminals as it was covered from view and dark. It is well used by cyclists travelling from Cheltenham to Churchdown and she believes the addition of lighting will make the community safer.
Lights for the area were promised in a planning agreement when the nearby care home was built, but never came to fruition.
Gloucestershire County Council is now funding the scheme, with money from the planning agreement of the care home development.
Lesley Smith, technical support officer at Gloucestershire Highways, said: "We are pleased to confirm the lighting will be in place by Christmas." Alexa Collicott, spokeswoman for Gloucestershire police, said the force had been called to three incidents on the road since August 1.
But none of the alleged crimes had been robberies, assaults or burglaries.
She said: "While we are pleased incidents on that road are very rare, we understand that sometimes people do feel safer when there are lights on the road."
The incidents police were called to were glass being on the road following a car crash, a suspicious man in the grounds of the care home and a case where someone refused to pay a taxi.
Comments
by Ysedra
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 6:38PM
“At the Sinope Street Play Area, they're turning off the lights in the evening, to discourage the 'yoots' from hanging out (they'll still hang out under the Asda carpark ramp, though). People had better not use it as a shortcut at night...”
by gallopingbear
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 4:29PM
“Great! Now the muggers can see what theyre doing!”
by halfdome1
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 2:07PM
“Muggers paradise or not, it is exceptionally dark along there, and not easy to see one's footing.”
by Douglasknows
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 9:22AM
“Well said MontyToplady, I was just going to type something very similar but now I don't need to....................doh!”
by MontyToplady
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 9:03AM
“Completely stupid story - "Muggers Paradise" has actually never seen a mugging. Sensationalist nonsense”
by safeandnice
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 8:22AM
“Does adding lighting really make it safer or does it turn into a refuge?
Do most muggers operate in lit or unlit areas?”
by Flat-Broke Films Ltd
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 8:06AM
“Well done Jacky - I know you have been working hard with the County Council to get money for this scheme which will benefit pedestrians and cyclists alike along this dark, secluded underpass by Arle Court roundabout.”