Exeter woman launches website to map safe routes home following streetlight cuts

A local women’s safety activist has created a website as part of her campaign to help women in Exeter map well-lit routes home and report streets with poor lighting.

The Keep Exeter Lit website has been launched by women’s activist Rose Lelliott who claims that Devon County Council has “permanently dimmed or switched off” streetlights across around 80 per cent of the county as part of a cost-saving measure.

Her new website will allow users to search for a street or postcode, drop a pin on an area with poor or no lighting, and add their report to a shared map.

Other users can then check the map prior to their journeys to ensure their route is safe and well-lit.

Ms Lelliott told Exeter Today that residential street lighting in parts of the city has been dimmed to 40 per cent from 9:30pm to 12:30am, switched off entirely from 12:30am to 5:30am, and then restored to 40 per cent until 6.30am.

“The burden shouldn’t be on women to keep themselves safe,” said Ms Lelliott.

“So many of us are used to taking the long way home, holding our keys in our hands, and sharing our live location with friends.

“It’s frustrating that we’re having to do this… It feels as though the council considers women’s safety to be worth less than £270,000.

“We’re building a network of safe routes home for women in Exeter this winter. It shouldn’t have to happen, but it’s the reality.”

Exeter Today put these claims to Devon County Council. Councillor Dan Thomas said there had been “no changes to the streetlighting regime in central Exeter, and no reductions are planned”, but that “further dimming has taken place in some residential areas outside the city centre”.

Steve Race, MP for Exeter, said: “I’m incredibly concerned that Devon County Council continues to ignore the fears raised by residents, particularly women and shift workers, about the decision to dim Exeter’s streetlights.

“The evidence consistently shows that effective street lighting helps women to both feel safe and actually stay safe. In fact, the College of Policing found that increased lighting led to a 21 per cent fall in all violent crime.

“I hope people across Exeter will take the time to mark dark spots on the map, so we can keep up the pressure of Devon County Council to take this issue seriously.”

Devon County Councillor Dan Thomas responded: “Women’s safety is a priority, and I reject the suggestion that we are putting a price on it.

“We have consistently recognised Exeter’s particular needs and night-time economy.”

“We have worked with Devon & Cornwall Police, InExeter and the University of Exeter Students’ Guild, specifically considering the safety of women and girls. That work has identified opportunities to improve lighting in darker locations, including Musgrave Row, and on key walking routes.

“The policy responds to requests from communities for less lighting while reducing energy costs, carbon emissions and light pollution. Our smart lighting system also allows us to adjust lighting quickly where safety concerns are identified.

“It is wrong to suggest residents’ concerns have been ignored. We have listened, acted on feedback and identified where improvements are needed and we continue to listen and adapt as required.”