Street lighting still turned off

Street lighting in an area of Essex which was switched off at night in a trial to cut CO2 emissions remains off.

Lampposts in Uttlesford and Maldon were due to be off between midnight and 0500 from May 2007 to the end of July 2008.

But the county council said the lights would remain off for up to six more weeks while it assessed the scheme.

Residents told the BBC they would like to see the lights back on, as they say there was an increase in anti-social behaviour after the pilot began.

Ray Knight, of the King Street Residents Association, said: "Most of the problem is damage to vehicles and property, bonnets jumped on, door mirrors, scratches, dents, radio aerials taken off."

Mr Knight said people had also been "using foul language and urinating up against the walls" in alleyways between houses.

The council said it was considering switching off its 120,000 street lights across the whole county for five hours a night.

As well as curbing CO2 levels, the council said it would then save about £1m a year.