Safer Streets, for Wigan

Today, Leigh is a town on the up. Currently undergoing a development boom, property website Zoopla recently hailed it as Britain’s third biggest property hotspot; with house prices rising almost double the 3.2 per cent north west average. However, like any area, it’s not without its difficulties.

Recently Wigan Council led a successful bid, on behalf of the Place and Community Safety Partnership, to the government’s Safer Streets Fund and secured more than £500,000 to tackle anti-social behaviour and improve safety for residents. The budget was earmarked for a package of new measures to reduce crime in targeted areas. 

Installing street lighting in high crime areas featured heavily within the improvement package. 

Wigan’s Neighbourhood Team approached Acrospire intending to install mains powered units to several problem zone alleyways, to improve poorly lit areas.

Chris Pennington, Wigan Council, Street Lighting Team, explains, “initially we contacted the team for a price on standard functional lanterns. However, after a civils trenching survey was conducted, it was deemed too expensive to go down this route.”

Never one to shy away from a challenge, we suggested the possibility of solar-powered lanterns.