A Labour group has joined the opposition to a plan to black out streets across Comet country.

North Herts Labour councillors have joined the growing protest against Herts County Council’s scheme to switch off thousands of street lights in the area as part of a county-wide initiative to slash its electricity bill.

The change, which would see lights go out from midnight to 6am, is due to be implemented from mid May in North Herts. A mid April date for its introduction in Stevenage has been put back after technical issues turned lights off four hours early in areas of the county where it has already been rolled out.

A motion will be put forward by the Labour group on April 12 calling on the Tory controlled North Herts District Council to oppose the part night lighting scheme.

Group leader David Billing said: “It is planned that roughly 60 to 70 per cent of our street lights will be switched off.

“Our residents tell us that they feel frightened and unsafe in dark areas. We believe that the decision to go ahead with this project without considering the impact on crime and fear of crime levels, and on accidents, is unjustified. The project is damaging to taxpayers’ confidence in public services. We do not believe the public have been properly consulted in the way that they deserve.”