By Jennifer Cosgrove

WEST END Councillor Fraser Macpherson has called for urgent action by Dundee City Council to rethink its policy of not replacing street lights after they have been damaged by vehicles and the cost cannot be recovered from the drivers.

In Menzieshill furious locals have hit out at a public notice in Earn Crescent warning that a damaged lamp post will not be replaced unless the person responsible for knocking it over owns up.

The sign, which has been there for around a week, reads, “The street lighting column situated here was struck and knocked down (most probably by a vehicle).

“No one has owned up to this accident.

“The column is unlikely to be replaced unless a responsible party can be found.

“Should you have any information regarding this incident please call the customer services helpline on 0800 23 23 23.”

It costs between £800 and £1000 to replace a lamppost and it is understood there are around 10 signs of this sort in various locations across the city where street lighting has been damaged.

Local Labour Councillor Tom Ferguson described the sign as “draconian,” saying it is only a matter of time before the insufficient street lighting causes an accident.

“I’ve been contacted by a number of angry residents, but the last call I got was from an elderly person who said it doesn’t feel safe if there is no light,” he said.

“If they want to try to use a driver’s insurance to deal with the problem, where does that leave the tenants?”

SNP Councillor Will Dawson, convener of the city development committee, said the decision to save money by not replacing damaged street lighting was made under the previous Labour-Liberal Democrat administration when the council budget was passed back in February.

Mr Dawson said they have only been aware of this particular money-saving measure for around two months.

“We’re not very happy with the situation,” he said.

“It poses a health and safety issue and we’re looking at it to see what we can do.”

He continued, “We should have something to report fairly soon.”

Councillor Macpherson said it was clear that the policy was not working.

In his own West End ward, residents at the south end of Seafield Road were very concerned at the non-replacement of a street light, which has plunged the street into darkness.

“It is simply not good enough for the city development convener to claim that the policy was adopted during the previous administration because the budget was passed unanimously and all aspects were discussed in an all-party setting,” he said.

“It became clear very early on in the new financial year that the policy of non- replacement in these circumstances was a totally false economy and I raised my concerns with the city development director and the then chief executive back at the start of May.

“I have been promised time and time again that my concerns are being looked into and I have been promised an update later this week.”