NEIGHBOURHOODS across the district will be plunged into darkness in the early hours of tomorrow morning as a controversial cost-cutting measure is rolled out in St Albans and Harpenden.

Hertfordshire County Council plans to switch off the majority of street lights between midnight and 6am have come under fire from residents and opposition councillors, who fear a rise in crime and road accidents.

In coming weeks 80 per cent of the 13,300 street lights across the district will be turned off in phases starting with the St Stephen's area which includes Park Street, Bricket Wood and Chiswell Green.

This will be followed by Sandridge, Harpenden north east, Harpenden south west, St Albans rural, St Albans south, St Albans east and in the final week of March into April the scheme will hit St Albans central, St Albans north and the Colneys.

County councillor for St Albans Chris White (Liberal Democrat) said the Tories at County Hall have put forward a scheme without understanding how it will affect rural Hertfordshire.

He said he was particularly dismayed by a comment from Conservative councillor Sally Newton, responsible for Hertford All Saint division, who reportedly said those who object to part night lighting "should buy a torch".

Councillor White added: "It seems to be a one size fits all attitude and to say residents should buy a torch is not the way this should be approached.

"There is great anxiety about crime increasing and a lot of people worry about the state of their roads and pavements, many of which are dangerous to walk on in the dark.

"A lot of residents are shift workers who leave work late and start early, so not everyone out past midnight is drunk leaving a pub."

Hertfordshire County Council's website also advises people out and about at night that they "may wish to carry a torch".

The authority claims the scheme will reduce the district's carbon footprint and save the taxpayer £1 million a year Lamps are to remain lit in town centres, in areas with significant night time activity, areas where there is an obstruction on the road such as a major junction, traffic island or roundabout and roads with a history of night time accidents.

Areas covered by CCTV cameras and others with high crime will also not be affected.

Ken Peak, of the London Colney Village Concern group, said: "We have detected an increase in crime since our police station has gone, probably not high level crime but petty crime.

"If you combine that will no lights it could be a problem. If you combine lights out with some other way of managing traffic speed maybe it will work, but it's not going to be of benefit to anyone if a car speeding through the village fails to see a pedestrian crossing the road.

"If the council is going to penny pinch in this way maybe it should look at other wasteful practices they have first and think about the safety of residents."