I feel like I'm living in the Blitz - lack of street lighting leaves parts of Blackpool in the dark

Adelaide Street West which runs between the Houndshill Shopping Centre and the Promenade is one of the areas picked out as feeling unsafe due to its lack of lighting.

Conservative councillor Gerard Walsh told a meeting of the full council: "It is my understanding during the construction of the Sands Venue Resort Hotel by Coolsilk, the street lights were removed from that area to enable work vehicles to access the site. However now the work has been completed, Adelaide Street West is in complete darkness.

"Indeed after being brought to my attention I thought I would undertake a walk to that area, and I have to say I felt extremely uneasy. I would ask any elected member to go and visit that site."

Coun Walsh asked why the street lights had not been reinstated, when they were likely to return and if there would be a cost to the council.

He added: "As someone who lives in the town centre, it is more akin to living in a major city during the Blitz rather than a well lit holiday resort."

Council leader Coun Lynn Williams said during a recent walk around the town centre to check where Christmas lights could be connected, it had been noticed there were darker areas which needed improvements and this work had been scheduled in.

It comes as the council has agreed to re-start the roll out of energy-saving LED lights for street lighting across the town. The initiative had been paused due to rising costs of materials.

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But the work will now continue and it is hoped it could shave up to 50 per cent off the council's energy bills for street lighting, as well as provide more environmentally friendly lights.

A council report says: "One of the key objectives of the change to LED lighting is to reduce energy consumption for street lighting, reducing energy costs.

"This in turn would minimise the effects of future energy price increases. Current financial modelling suggests that we could achieve a saving of 50 per cent of our annual energy costs by introducing LEDs."

The council first unveiled plans to switch to LED bulbs for street lighting in 2021 with the move predicted to lead to annual savings of £688,000 adding up to savings of more than £6m over the 20-year lifespan of the LEDs.

LED bulbs are already used for the Illuminations and to light up Blackpool Tower.