THE lights could go out across Hampshire as county bosses consider axing street lighting in a bid to slash more from the public purse.

In a fresh set of proposals Hampshire County Council is considering turning off street lighting between certain times alongside a number of other cost-cutting measures, including reducing highways maintenance and grass cutting services.

The consultation was launched this week alongside another consultation which, as previously reported, is asking for the public’s views on the future of all of Hampshire’s libraries and axing the mobile library service altogether.

It is feared the plans could hit more rural areas the hardest as the authority aims to claw back up to £600,000 a year.

The proposals to cut the lighting and highways budget come after a countywide consultation earlier this year, which the county council called Shaping Hampshire and residents were asked their views on the three main options for managing the anticipated £98 million shortfall in funds in April 2017.

Now people will have a month to voice their concerns and opinions about the proposed changes, which suggest further dimming street lights, dimming them for longer hours or turning them off completely between certain times.

There is also a proposed reduction in the number of times the grass is cut or axing grass cutting completely as well as axing weed treatments, which would affect all of the 5,280 miles of road that the council is responsible for maintaining.

Ray Cobbett from Hampshire Friends of the Earth said: “Hopefully they will just make the cuts within reason and it won’t endanger people but I think it’s a problem for the look of Hampshire.

"If they want to attract people here it’s not going to look as attractive to have it all looking overrun.”

Test Valley Borough and Hampshire county councillor Alan Dowden said: “We need the street lights left on at night to help protect the public from possible crime or becoming the victim of a violent attack. Some young people don’t get home until late after a night out.

"I am worried about their safety.”

Residents are being urged to give feedback to the proposals to help prioritise which environmental services are the most important in an online form.

The consultation will offer people the option to rank their preference for each service and shows how much it would save.

Cllr Seán Woodward, executive member for economy, transport and environment, said highways repairs would not be affected.

“Ongoing reductions in our funding have meant we must continually look very carefully at where we focus our resources."

“Residents have told us they value highways maintenance. Therefore, these proposals do not affect the budgets currently allocated to the repair of the actual road or footway surfaces, nor safety related work and Operation Resilience - our long term approach to managing the network. With 5,280 miles of road across the county to look after, this requires a substantial resource, and it’s important we use the money we have in the most targeted, and cost effective way.”

The consultation will last until December 11, to find out more visit hants.gov.uk/highwaysconsultation or call 0300 555 1388.

The decisions from the consultations are finalised on January 19 next year.