Thames Valley Police have spoken out on plans to dim streetlights in key five Slough areas as the proposal was met with public concern.

Last week Slough Borough Council announced the proposal to dim street lights in, Rochfords Gardens and Goodman Park estates, Maplin Park, Colnbrook, part of Cippenham Green and the Northern part of Britwell.

The changes hope to save the council £25,000 this year by saving electricity "one streetlight at a time".

READ MORE: The five Slough areas where street lighting will dim

However, upon hearing the news, residents have expressed concerns over the safety of the roads at night - particularly for women after dark.

Others expressed worries about crime rates in Slough, with the potential for criminals to take advantage and act under the cover of darkness.

READ MORE: Slough street light dimming plans meet public outcry

The areas outlined include Colnbrook, where 174 crimes were reported in December 2022, of which 68 related to violence and sex offences, 39 related to vehicle crime and 14 related to burglaries.

A similar number of crimes were reported in Cippenham, alongside 20 incidents of disorder and 17 incidents of criminal damage.

The Observer reached out to Thames Valley Police for their take on these recent developments.

Local Policing Area (LPA) Commander for Slough Superintendent Lee Barnham, said: “First and foremost as LPA Commander for Slough my main focus is to ensure the safety of people within our communities.

“The proposal to dim street lights in certain areas in Slough, for a trial period, is ultimately a decision for the council.

“Up until recently we were not aware of the specifics of this pilot and that it was being taken forward by the council.

“From the communications we have received it appears [the council] do not intend to dim the lights in crime hotspots or where there are shopping parades, busy highways and junctions, roundabouts and where there is likely to be lots of people congregating at night (busy commercial streets/roads and the town centre).

“The council has asked us for our input on the pilot and we will be considering the full plans very carefully and involving the Safer Slough Partnership in order to make sure the impact on public safety is fully considered.

“We will monitor crime rates very closely during the pilot and make comparisons with previous years, as we usually do and take appropriate action if needed to make sure that people are not at greater risk of crime within Slough.”