Belgium/La Louvière and Tournai before Mons? Communes turn on street lighting 3 months before elections
At the beginning of July, La Louvière became the first large town in Hainaut to take the decision. In the city of Wolves, public lighting is no longer switched off at night between midnight and 5am. The measure, introduced in 2022 in response to the energy crisis, has not withstood the feeling of insecurity among the population.
Even though the latest report from the Louvain police shows that crime figures are down during the night, Mayor Jacques Gobert (PS) felt it necessary to take a step backwards. The decrease in crime is one thing, but the feeling of insecurity is quite another," he explained last week to Antenne Centre. There are a lot of citizens who come back to us saying that this feeling of insecurity is very present."
And the town of La Louvière is not the only one to give up: Tournai is also turning its streetlights back on. The city center was not affected by the switch-off between midnight and 5 a.m. to allow surveillance cameras to operate, only the 29 villages were plunged into darkness. "There was a feeling of insecurity in these villages, and this must also be taken into account," explains Mayor Paul-Olivier Delannois (PS). I also heard from residents who told me that the darkness in certain places was an opportunity for drug trafficking. This also weighed in the balance." The municipal college therefore validated the decision on Thursday. Although the PS's partner Ecolo made no secret of the fact that they would have preferred an intermediate solution: to turn the lights back on only at weekends. Of course we have to take into account the feeling of insecurity, particularly for the most vulnerable, but there are other factors too," says Coralie Ladavid (Ecolo), first alderman in Tournai. Lighting up all night has consequences for biodiversity, for the economy - it costs 400,000 euros every year - and for health...".
In Mons, a major survey before making a decision
Will the City of Mons follow in its neighbors' footsteps? In the city of Doudou, the debate on public lighting is also on the table. No decision has yet been taken, but a major survey has been launched on the town's website. On his Facebook page, mayor Nicolas Martin (PS) makes no secret of the fact that he is in favor of going back: "Several months ago, I began discussions with my fellow mayors of neighboring towns, as well as with ORES, the public lighting manager. Today, I would like the people of Montois to have their say, so that the college can take a position. I know that some residents are in favor and others against. Itremains to define the proportions", he wrote on the social network.
The anonymous survey is open until July 31. In Mons, La Louvière and Tournai, the issue of street lighting is setting the tone for the electoral campaign, where the theme of safety could take center stage.
Source: www.rtbf.be
