A CONTROVERSIAL £500,000 plan to switch off street lights and plunge parts of the county into darkness at night is continuing

It has been revealed that Worcestershire County Council wants to expand the scheme to save another £100,00 in energy costs - but will have to invest £400,000 of taxpayers' money upfront to do so.

Since April workers have been ripping out 1,000 street lights per month to replace them with special dimmers which go out from midnight to 6am.

It is targeting 17,000 street lamps within two years and after starting in Redditch and Bromsgrove says Worcester will be next.

The night-time blackouts in parts of the towns, as well as Droitwich, has led to virtually no complaints so far, the council insists.

Alongside that, it wants to expand the project by spending £400,000 on more energy efficient LED lights, saying it aims to replace as many street lamps as possible with more modern, lower cost ones by 2016.

That will save another £100,000 on energy costs.

Councillor John Smith, cabinet member for highways, said: “It’s been extremely successful so far, you get the odd comment here and there but it’s gone very well.”

The opposition Labour group has criticised the move into Worcester, saying it is concerned about people falling over on pavements.

Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, said: “Many more roads are to be plunged into darkness with this crazy scheme to save money by putting residents in the dark.

"Not only are residents now further at risk from criminals but with the state our pavements are in we need every bit of light to see where we are going.

Coun Smith said in the areas implicated so far there was next to no negative feedback.

"We've had a few, but not many apart from Redditch," he admitted.

"When we move into Worcester we will get the councillors from each affected area together to explain it."

He added: "Not only has it delivered the required savings but also helps the county council achieve some of its energy reduction targets."

*Do you live in any of the areas where the lights have already been switched off at night? Have you noticed? Email ben.russell@midlands.newsquest.co.uk.