A new report studying the impact of unlit street lamps actually shows a slight reduction in crime levels, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex has claimed.

On Tuesday (July 28), the report from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in partnership with University College London was published, finding “little evidence of harmful effects of switch off, part-night lighting (PNL)… on road collisions or crime in England and Wales”.

In Epping Forest, more than 70 per cent of street lamps are turned off overnight as Essex County Council tries to save money.

PCC Nick Alston has welcomed the report, saying he is aware “of some real concerns both about crime in PNL areas and about road safety.”

He said: “The analysis also shows that in general crime actually reduces slightly where PNL has been introduced, though there are one or two anomalies.

“The analysis of the data in Essex tends to support these findings though I still consider the sample size of data that we can work with in Essex to be too small to draw firm conclusions.

“Crime and particularly anti-social behaviour does seem to reduce with the introduction of PNL with few exceptions.”

He added: “We have also gained a deeper understanding of the road safety risks associated with PNL.

“In Essex the risks associated with higher speed roads (40mph plus) used by pedestrians, particularly those returning from pubs and clubs, have come to the fore following a small number of very serious incidents.

“We now for the first time have a reliable study that enables us to say with more confidence that PNL, when properly introduced and based on risk assessment, has no adverse impact on the overall level of road traffic collisions – but understanding those risk factors is crucial and that is what we are seeking to do here in Essex.”

In Epping Forest, people have claimed unlit areas have seen more vandalism and robberies.

Reacting to the study, councillor John Knapman said: “I think our residents should have the right to feel safe, and if having the lights on makes them feel safe then they should have that.”