Some areas in Dover could have one or two street lights switched back on before Kent County Council finishes its LED scheme.

Last month the authority announced it is to phase out the switch-off programme by 2017 and instead replace all 120,000 lights with LED bulbs that are now cheaper than they used to be.

But Dover town and county councillor Gordon Cowan, who represents the St Radigund’s ward, said he will make inquiries with the Highways Agency about using some of his member funding to switch some lights on sooner.

Cllr Cowan feels that one or two lights will deter crime, which he believes has increased due to the darkness in some areas.

He expressed his fears last month, when the Mercury exclusively revealed that St Radgiund’s had the highest crime rate in Dover throughout November 2014, with 100 crimes being reported to the police.

Cllr Cowan thought the lack of street lighting was a contributing factor, and he promised to speak with the Highways Agency.

Cllr Cowan said that if his bid to use member funding for street lights is successful, the chosen lights would be put on with the use of LED technology, in line with KCC’s scheme.

“In some areas, one of two lights would deter some of the crimes that are happening,” he said.

Cllr Cowan estimated that in Farthingloe Road 51 lights have been switched off and that he has had emails of concern sent from residents.

“I want to see what I can do to alleviate the problem”, he said.

“It is not just St Radigund’s – I am going inquire about different areas all over Dover.”

At present there is no evidence to suggest that the street light switch off scheme is responsible for the levels of crime in Dover and other parts of Kent.