If you want streetlights, you'll have to buy your own

Published on Monday 21 January 2008 09:30

RESIDENTS who have not had streetlights outside their homes for 20 years have been told they will have to pay £6000 to install them themselves.

People living in Long Craigs, Port Seton, are fighting to have lighting in the car park, which is also a through-route, behind their houses.

They claim they have suffered years of vandalism and disorder, with youths banging on doors and setting fire to wheelie bins.

Several residents say they are frightened to walk home at night.

Local police recommended installing two lampposts to help solve the problem. But East Lothian Council says that since it is private land, it is not its responsibility, and the residents will have to pay for the lighting themselves.

Lynne Nicol, 50, who works for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, was unaware of the problem when she moved to the street six years ago.

She said: "We have to use this route to get home, but you can't see anything at night.

"We've just been told 'buy it yourselves' but I don't have that kind of money to buy lampposts. Unless we can dig the holes ourselves and install the lamps, there's nothing we can do.

"The sad thing is we've had a huge problem with vandals. If we can at least get lighting that would help. We don't want people to think it is a no-go area.

"We've been promised lots of things over the years. We even had plans drawn up as we were told there would be funding, but it fell through."

She said they often had youths hanging around drinking after dark, and in one incident they set seven wheelie bins on fire.

Isobel Black, a community councillor who also lives in Long Craigs, said: "It's been a nightmare at times. There's been vandalism, fire raising and people banging on windows.

"The police report said lighting was needed. It's quite unbelievable that no-one has done anything."

Her neighbour Linda Johnstone, 40, has written to her local councillors and MSP asking for street lighting. She said: "It's just so intimidating at night walking through the car park when you can't see anyone.

"As a tax payer I thought that street lighting was something we wouldn't have to pay for, but the council told us that we would.

"We just don't want to drive into a black hole every night."

Long Craigs was built by George Wimpey in the 1980s and is part of the Dene Estate. But the developer no longer owns the land and says additional lighting is the residents' responsibility.

East Lothian council confirmed that it had "adopted" a small piece of greenery in the car park, which was normal when private estates were built.

Councillor Stuart Currie, who represents Prestonpans and Port Seton, said he had met residents to try and find a solution.

He said: "The council is under no obligation to provide lighting on private land. This is something the developers should have put in at the outset.

"We're trying to find a way through it. I'm looking at this from a public safety point of view. But ultimately the council can't spend money on putting up lighting in a private car park."

A police spokesman said: "Our community beat officers are aware of the problems, and they are working closely with local residents to address them."