The Council is installing lighting on the path in Clifton Park which leads from Middle Lane to Clifton Park Museum. Clifton Park is the most widely used park in Rotherham. By providing a safer environment, the Council will enable users to enjoy the park for longer and to feel more confident utilising the space at all times.
Consultation with local women’s groups showed a preference for parks to be made safer after dark, as well as the need for more innovative lighting solutions - which provide dispersed lighting over wider areas as opposed to traditional streetlighting.
Through the Safer Streets Fund 3, administered by South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (SYPCC), a number of trial projects are being carried out in Rotherham, Sheffield, Barnsley and Doncaster.
The funding is providing interventions to improve the safety of public spaces for all, with a particular focus on areas of potential concern to women and girls.
Following a public survey and looking at crime data, South Yorkshire Police found that parks were highlighted as areas that would benefit from intervention.
The Council and its partners have a range of strategic objectives through the Safer Rotherham Partnership which this project will contribute towards. These include reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, tackling serious and organised crime and protecting vulnerable people.