This was expected as the council decided back in April to switch off certain street lights around the city in order to save money. They will switch off 1,500 of the 27,000 street lights in non-residential areas (mainly on bypass roads where there are no public footpaths).
The one thing that is surprising though is that the council have decided to include areas which have a history of being accident blackspots. One such road is the A4067 that runs south from the M4 junction at Ynysforgan down to the Liberty Stadium.
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The most recent casualty statistics provided by the Assembly are for 2008. These show there were approximately 11 casualties on this road that year including 1 fatality and 10 minor accidents. This road has a history of serious accidents, with the BBC road fatalities information page showing there have been 5 people killed along this road in the last 9 years:
2 June 2008, Male aged 33, 1 car.
12 Nov 2002, 3 Males, 2 cars
1 Aug 2001, Male, Aged 32, 2 cars
Another road that suffers from accidents and is due to be plunged into darkness is the A4217, running from the Pentrechwyth roundabout up to the roundabout with the junction of Jersey road.
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The savings offered to the council by switching off 1,500 lights are around £100,000 a year. This is an insignificant figure when you consider the cost of someone's life if an accident occurs when the lights are out.
Signs being put up warning of lights being switched off.
On roundabout above A4067:
On A4067, junction with M4 at Ynysforgan:
On A4217, junction with Brunel Way by Morfa:
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Last one out of Swansea. Please turn off the light switch.
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