RESIDENTS in Bournemouth have said they feel as though they are “a lost community” after being left without sufficient street lighting for four months

People living in Luckham Close, near to the Castlepoint Shopping Centre, say they have had minimal working streetlights since June this year, although some residents claim it has been longer than this.

Having approached the council on multiple occasions asking for the lampposts to be fixed, BCP Council have said it is not their responsibility.

One resident said: “There is street lighting, but it hasn’t been working for months. I have spoken to the council, and they have said that the land is privately owned and they’re not liable to fix it.

“I have also been in touch with the housing management about the street lighting and they have said, as it is street lighting, it should be dealt with by road management.

“It is pitch black out here. There are a couple of girls who live on the road, and they are scared to go out at night.

“I made a complaint to the council and my email just got passed around to different departments and never got sorted. It has already gone through four other people, and they ended up saying it wasn’t their problem.”

Bournemouth Echo: Residents living in Luckham Close, in Bournemouth, say they have been left without sufficient street lighting for four months, which has contributed to a rise in anti-social behaviour in the area

Locals have said they have had to keep on their downstairs interior lights and invest in motion sensor exterior lights in order to illuminate the pavements.

The cul-de-sac contains two residential houses as well as flats for people with mobility issues and elderly residents, surrounded by many rat runs with high brick walls.

Although the residents say the lack of light in the area is the tip of the iceberg, adding that it is contributing to a rise in anti-social behaviour in the area.

“It is turning into a bit of a farce,” said another resident.

“Most of these buildings around here are for people, like me, who have trouble walking, are in wheelchairs or are elderly. That means that it should be more important to get this problem sorted. You would expect this area to be prioritized but that’s not the case.

“I did the council survey about what things were like in your community and when the question said do you feel safe in your community, I said no.

“It is fine during the day but at night I do not feel safe because the streetlights are not working.”

Resident above also complained about overgrown bushes taking up space on the pavement.

Bournemouth Echo: Residents living in Luckham Close, in Bournemouth, say they have been left without sufficient street lighting for four months, which has contributed to a rise in anti-social behaviour in the area

Some delivery drivers haven’t been able to locate the cul-de-sac as the road sign is currently hidden by unkempt shrubbery.

“We are almost a lost community, added a third resident.

“There have been a lot of little things that have contributed to this area being really run down. It seems that the council don’t want to come out and sort it because, if they do, they’ll have to fix everything else.

“There is shrubs growing in the gutters, there is graffiti all along the walls, there is fly tipping and litter everywhere and nothing seems to be done about it.”

Bournemouth Echo: Residents living in Luckham Close, in Bournemouth, say they have been left without sufficient street lighting for four months, which has contributed to a rise in anti-social behaviour in the area

Muscliff and Strouden Park ward councillor Kieron Wilson added: “No one should feel that they can’t leave their own home or feel unsafe in their community, and this is something I will want to look into.

“I completely sympathise with residents and will be liaising closely with them and the council to get this problem sorted.”