Having dimmed streetlights since 2016, Ealing Council is to brighten streets across the borough following a survey of over 3000 women and girls over 13, in which 93% said that improved lighting will make them feel safer.
The results of the Safer Ealing Partnership survey highlighted many worries and concerns that girls and women in Ealing have about their personal safety and what they want to see improved.
As a result, Labour-run Ealing Council has set out what it calls A Safer Ealing For Women Action Plan. Click here to read it.
In the plan, the council said it is going to invest £2.1m in upgrading all streetlighting and is is committed to increase street lighting on all residential roads by the end of October 2022.
The move reverses a 2016 policy which saw Ealing’s streetlights being dimmed which the council said would still make streets safe and save money. Since than residents across the borough have been raising their concerns which saw Ealing Liberal Democrats campaigning for streetlights to be improved.
Councillor Connie Hersch, Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Crime, anti-social behaviour, community services and town centres, told EALING.NEWS: “Liberal Democrats conducted our own survey in March 2021 and we uncovered that people wanted to see the light dimming done by Labour reversed as well as the local police teams working with the Council to help reduce the fear of crime.”
Councillor Hersch added: “Liberal Democrats are glad that Ealing Council have finally listened to us and residents and will now start to make all our streets safer by reversing the light dimming they introduced in 2016.“
In a statement, Councillor Peter Mason, leader of Ealing Council said: “Everyone must both feel and be safe. Only through listening to residents and working with the Metropolitan Police and partner organisations can we make the necessary improvements and come together to improve the safety of women and everyone in the borough.”
One resident told EALING.NEWS: “As a mum of a teenage daughter, I welcome this. It’s been a great concern for me, my friends and family. Ealing Council have known for years that residents wanted better lighting in the streets. Why did it have to take so long to happen?”
Other initiatives that Ealing Council says will be rolled out across the borough include adding additional CCTV. The survey highlights that 66% of women said CCTV would make them feel safer. Secondary schools will also receive additional support to help them provide guidance to pupils on healthy relationships.
Another key finding showed 90% of women didn’t know where to get help following unwanted sexual behaviour. As a result, the council has said it will create a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) website as well as leaflets to be distributed to provide more information on groups and organisations women can contact.
Local policing is also set to be improved as 58% of women said they were dissatisfied with reporting to authorities. Additional community engagement is set to take place and all female victims of unwanted sexual attention which is recorded as a crime will have a follow up by police..
Councillor Aysha Raza, council cabinet member for tackling inequality gave her thanks in a statement to all those who took part in the survey: “Through listening to your voices and your experiences we are able not only to set out the challenges but also set out real and meaningful action to improving women’s safety in Ealing.”
EALING.NEWS has approached Ealing Council for further comment.
