City councillors push for safer, well-lit redways and underpasses

This comes as, redways and underpasses across the city have been left without working streetlights for weeks or even months. For residents, this can mean walking home in near-total darkness, cycling through poorly lit junctions, or avoiding certain routes altogether because they don’t feel safe, especially in the winter months. Many streetlight repairs depend on National Grid, which can lead to delays outside the City Council’s direct control. 

Councillor Jenni Ferrans, who will be moved the motion, said:

“While streetlight repairs on grid roads are prioritised because of the risks involved, we’re increasingly concerned about people travelling to and from work, elderly residents getting to the shops or medical appointments and children and young people walking or cycling home from school or college. No one should feel unsafe in their own city, so safety needs to come first. But we also need better communication so residents know what’s happening, why lights are out, and when problems will be fixed.”

Councillor Kerrie Bradburn, Chair of the Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee, added:

“Milton Keynes has a very large redway network, which is unique to our city and something we take pride in. But this also brings challenges when it comes to keeping routes well-lit all year round, especially when budgets are tight. We believe the current process should be reviewed with resident and community safety in mind.”

If the motion is passed, the Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee will consider reviewing the current prioritisation process for streetlight repairs. The Council’s Executive will also continue to engage with National Grid to minimise delays and establish a clearer communication process, so councillors and residents are kept informed about prolonged faults.