The Cambridge City Council has unveiled proposals to install sunken lights along paths on Parker’s Piece after students raised safety concerns.

The last lighting improvements on the Piece occurred as far back as 1893 when residents requested for a single lamp to be placed at its centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camilla Cook, a third-year History undergraduate at Queens College, told Varsity: “Parker’s Piece is one of the most poorly lit public spaces in Cambridge and, what with the sex attacker still on the loose, it is really important that people can feel safe at night when crossing it. This is a worthwhile project.”

The new project was proposed by Executive Councillor for Community Safety Tim Bick after he was contacted by the student unions at Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin.

Cllr Bick told the Area Committee: “There is such a high level of foot and cycle traffic across there that the same logic as for lighting up streets should apply”.

Recent reports of indecent exposures have driven the issue to the top of the city council agenda, encouraged by ‘Right to Light’ campaigns of the Cambridge University Students’ Union aiming to minimise such incidents.

Cllr Bick informed the Council’s west/central area committee that the area “should not be portrayed as a den of crime” but also acknowledged that recent months have seen a rise of alarming incidents, including an alleged attempted rape before Christmas. He further voiced concern that Parker’s Piece “is an easy place for people escaping the police to disappear into.”

Bick further commented: “There are some constraints we will need to observe. Football-style floodlights would clearly destroy the character of Parker’s Piece as a natural space and it would waste a good deal of energy. And more lamp posts will be inconsistent with its use as a school playing field and for major community events.

“I am hoping we can arrive at a scheme of lights actually set into the paths themselves which would cast an ambient light and might be powered by renewable energy.”

The project will be considered by Cambridge City Council along with other schemes for environmental improvement.

Other areas of discussion for Market, Newnham and Castle include proposals for better signs for 20mph speed zones and more dropped kerbs to assist people in wheelchairs or using buggies.