Thank you for reaching out to Norfolk County Council and for your proactive efforts in conducting the survey to address safety concerns in residential areas around the UEA. We deeply empathise with the significance of feeling safe, especially for students walking home at night. While the UEA Campus lighting is not directly under our authority, we value the opportunity to provide information and address your concerns regarding the wider area.

We are committed to exploring ways to enhance safety, which could include changes to Part-Night Lighting (PNL), in collaboration with all stakeholders and welcome ongoing communication with the UEA on this topic.

Part-Night Lighting Decision: The decision to implement PNL was made in January 2010 involved discussions with Norfolk Police, consultation with the Norfolk Citizens' Panel, and engagement with relevant stakeholders, including the UEA Student Union.

Stakeholder Involvement: The Student Union was actively involved in the consultation process, with several roads exempted from PNL based on their feedback and crime statistics from the police.

Current Status: Roads adjacent to Eaton Park (North and South Park Avenues), Wilberforce Road, and those leading off the Fiveways roundabout are illuminated from dusk until dawn, resulting in continuous lighting throughout the night. Following the concerns raised we will promptly ensure the streetlighting in these locations functions as intended. However, Wycliffe Road, Friends Road and other roads within the vicinity did not meet the criteria for exemption during the initial review resulting in lighting being switched off between midnight and 5am (or 1am-6am during British Summer Time).

Balancing Public Needs: The decision to implement PNL considered factors such as resident impact, police crime statistics, energy consumption and carbon emissions. Part-Night Lighting is a divisive issue, with preferences varying among residents which is why the public consultation was fundamental to the development of the PNL policy.

Commitment to Safety:

We acknowledge the concerns and, while changes to PNL may be challenging, ensuring the safety of residents remains a paramount concern. Our commitment includes ongoing collaboration with Norfolk Police and a willingness to assess and potentially adjust our lighting regimes based on validated evidence as to how lighting would positively impact an issue with crime prevention or road safety.

It is worth noting that a study led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that reducing street lighting did not necessarily lead to an increase in crime or road traffic incidents, however we absolutely remain open to improvements on a case-by-case basis and will be proactively engaging further with Norfolk Police to discuss the concerns raised.

Reporting of crime:

We strongly encourage students to report any incidents of harassment, abuse, or other crimes to the police as this allows extremely serious issues such as these to be addressed and helps shape appropriate safety improvements.

Crimes can be reported via 101, online at https://www.norfolk.police.uk, or 999 in an emergency.

Concerns about crime levels can be raised at local Safer Neighbourhoods Action Panel or ‘SNAP’ meetings.  These meetings give the public an opportunity to raise any issues or concerns they may have about where they live and speak to panel members made up of representatives from the police, district council and other agencies. More information on upcoming meetings and events can be found at: 

• https://www.norfolk.police.uk/area/your-area/norfolk/norwich/norwich-west/meetings-and-events/our-priorities
• https://www.norfolk.police.uk/area/your-area/norfolk/norwich/norwich-south/meetings-and-events/top-reported-crimes-in-this-area

Norfolk Police provide a dedicated UEA Beat Manager who engages directly with the UEA on a regular basis, including attending meetings at all levels on student safety.

Further engagement:

Your active participation is crucial in shaping the safety initiatives around the university. We encourage you to continue engaging with us, attend public meetings, and participate in consultations to ensure your voice is heard.

Should you have further concerns or suggestions, please feel free to communicate with us.