Barnet Borough Council dims the highest number of street lights in London, according to new research.

A total of 26,000 street lights are dimmed in Barnet – 92 per cent of the overall 28,150 street lights controlled by the authority.

The total saving from dimming street lights this financial year is estimated to be £400,000. 

The information was revealed in a recent survey of councils carried out by Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hilary Benn MP.

No other London borough that responded to the survey was found to dim more than half its lights.

The survey placed Barnet above the average for the rest of the country, with 29 per cent of street lights in Conservative-controlled areas surveyed switch off or dimmed, while the figure was 13 per cent in Labour-controlled areas. 

Barnet Labour’s environment spokesman, Woodhouse councillor Alan Schneiderman, said: “It’s quite clear that Barnet’s move to dim most of our street lights comes from government cuts to local council funding since May 2010.

“The Barnet Tories were even planning a total black out by switching off all street lights at night under the latest round of cuts – it was only because of public outcry when Labour councillors made the Tories’ secret plan public that they backed down.

“We really need to be investing in LED lights to get the street-lighting energy bill down on a permanent basis – that would save nearly £300,000 a year.”

Joe Irvin, chief executive of Living Streets, a charity for pedestrians, said: “The key thing is to consult with local communities to ensure people can walk safely on their streets and, just as importantly, feel safe doing so.”

Conservative councillor Richard Cornelius, leader of Barnet Council, said the borough’s street lights had sensors that automatically dimmed them when less light was needed.

Cllr Cornelius said: “It’s very sensible. There’s no point having the light on full blast if it’s not needed. We should be careful of wasting fuel.

“We are saving £400,000 a year. It’s a big saving, that’s quite a few social workers. If times are tough, we should be looking at everything.

“At the same time, crime has gone down. If Labour say it’s dark and dangerous, then people will fear it is. But that’s not the case.”