Drivers who use car between 11pm and 6.30am warned over major change on UK roads

Street lights in a major UK county could be turned off overnight as drivers may face traffic chaos. Oxford County Council has proposed several measures which would see most street lights switched off between 11pm and 6.30am, rather than remaining on all night.

Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Thames Valley Police, has written to Liz Leffman, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, highlighting concerns. In the letter, Barber wrote: "I have serious concerns about these proposals which I understand will be agreed at Cabinet later this month.

"The College of Policing, RoSPA and the IRAP Road Safety Toolkit all recognise the safety benefits of adequate street lighting. One of my greatest areas of concern is for the safety of women and vulnerable members of the public, particularly on a night out."

READ MORE:Drivers of these popular family models will see car tax double from April

READ MORE:Fords and Land Rovers among cars facing huge £2,745 tax hike from April - full list

READ MORE UK faces -7C snow with 'all' of country at risk and 'nowhere spared'

He added: "Naturally I understand that the County Council remains under financial pressure, as do police budgets. Yet in recent years, I have continued to invest, along with the districts and city councils, in improved CCTV to help deter and detect crime. I fear that your plans may limit the effectiveness of this investment."

The county council operates about 60,000 lights, with about 45,000 of them in residential areas. It proposes most of them operate only between dusk and 23:00 and dawn and 06:30 in a plan it said would save £400,000 a year, the local authority has said to the BBC this week.

Exceptions would include lights which illuminate alleyways and paths away from roads, subways and where they are used to show road furniture like speed bumps. The authority said it would not run a formal consultation but would invite councillors, police and district councils to give their views.

A council-run campaign would also be used to raise awareness before any changes, it also added.