THE number of street lights switched off in the early mornings in each area of Gwent has been revealed in a Plaid Cymru investigation.

Caerphilly council will have switched off 22,695 street lights between 2017-18 and 2020 from midnight until 5.30am, more than three times the number of any other Gwent authority.

This is how many street lights were switched off in each area overnight since 2017-18:

  • Newport: between 6,000 and 7,000;
  • Blaenau Gwent: 6,000;
  • Monmouthshire; 1,600;
  • Torfaen: zero.

Caerphilly council’s Plaid group has again called to reconsider the contentious “part-night lighting” policy being rolled-out across the borough, which sees lights turned off between midnight and 5.30am, except at junctions and in major town centres.

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Cllr Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group, said the figures showed Caerphilly council is “totally out-of-step with other Gwent authorities”.

“They’ve plunged people in the county borough into the dark and have done so in a much more heavy-handed and unnecessary way than other councils,” Cllr Mann said.

“Older people should not have to feel vulnerable in their own homes. We are still receiving many complaints about this issue.”

Cllr Mann called for the council “to begin immediately switching street lights back on in the early hours”.

But the council’s deputy leader, Cllr Sean Morgan, said neighbouring areas are smaller with “far fewer” street lights.

“For too many years we’ve had politicians who say that they are concerned about the climate emergency yet do nothing about it,” Cllr Morgan said.

“The Labour administration at Caerphilly have a track record of tackling the climate emergency, while opposition parties claim environmental concerns yet they continue to oppose real action and use hyperbole and scaremongering to reinforce their groundless arguments.”

Plaid Cymru Senedd member Delyth Jewell has also called for a rethink, while Labour MP Wayne David and MS for Caerphilly Hefin David, have previously written to the council asking for the policy to be reconsidered.

A motion to review the policy, put forward by the council’s Independent group, was rejected in October.

Ms Jewell said: “We are in the midst of the darkest time of year when lighting the streets isn’t just a question of convenience – it’s essential for public safety.”

A spokesman for Caerphilly council said: “The decision to implement part-night lighting was made as a result of our environmental commitment, and the requirement to make significant financial and carbon savings.

“The decision was also supported by the council’s cross-party environment and regeneration scrutiny committee.

“We have declared a climate emergency and the council has made a commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. A reduction in carbon through street lighting is part of this process.”