11 August 2022 Latest News

Reporting of faulty streetlights made quicker and easier in Harlow

A pilot project in Harlow that aims to make reporting faulty streetlights quicker and easier has now launched.

Following engagement with residents by Essex County Council’s (ECC) Safety Advisory Group (SAG), concerns were raised, by women in particular, about faulty streetlights and how this contributed to making them feel unsafe.

In response, the SAG, in partnership with Essex Highways and Harlow Council have adapted the current reporting web tool for ECC owned streetlights to now include those owned by Harlow Council too. In Harlow there are around 10,300 public streetlights with Harlow Council owning around 10 per cent.

This means that residents in Harlow will now be able to easily see who owns the light they are reporting. It is hoped that this will make reporting a fault quicker and easier.

The website will be initially trialled in Harlow, with a view to extending it across the county if the pilot performs well. Residents in Harlow are asked to use the website so that we can test its performance.

Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Chair of the Safety Advisory Group, Cllr Louise McKinlay said: “Part of the work of the Safety advisory Group looked at lighting in public places. Faulty street lights may not be repaired for a number of reasons but having an easier way to identify ownership and responsibility would save a lot of time and go some way to helping to make women in particular feel safer at night. 

“This new pilot will provide residents with an easy way to report faulty streetlights. I urge Harlow residents to use this new tool if they notice a faulty light.

“We are committed to doing all we can to make sure our residents feel safe, and this is just one of many initiatives to launch as a result of the Safety Advisory Group.”

Harlow Council Cabinet Member for Properties and Facilities, Cllr Steve LeMay said: “It is great news that Harlow residents will be the first in Essex to use this new system to report faulty streetlights. We have been working closely with Essex County Council to see improvements in these areas and we are pleased that this is starting to come to fruition. 

“This new system will make the whole process of reporting faulty streetlights a lot quicker which I hope will encourage more people to do it. If you live in Harlow and see a faulty streetlight, please log on and report it to ensure it is fixed as quickly as possible.”

Cabinet Member for Highways at Essex County Council, Cllr Lee Scott said: “We are committed to ensuring all of our streetlights are in working order. We rely on residents letting us know when there is a fault so we would ask residents to help us by logging on and reporting. This new tool makes it much easier for people to find and report and we are looking forward to seeing how it is received in Harlow.”

The web tool can be found here https://www.essexhighways.org/tell-us/lights-signals-and-signs/street-lights