A PARISH council chairman has added his voice to calls for the street lights switch off programme to be reviewed on a busy road.

Dallas Banfield, chairman of Little Marlow Parish Council has supported claims by Marlow Bottom Residents Association that the C 100 or Wycombe Road has become hazardous, particularly for pedestrians, due to the lack of lighting.

Buckinghamshire County Council introduced a scheme to save costs and reduce carbon footprints on a number of major roads earlier this year, including the A40 between High Wycombe and Gerrards Cross. Mr Banfield said: " It's not an objection to the policy as a whole but an objection to including that road within it.

“Most of them, we didn't have a problem with but what we did have a problem with was the C100 or Wycombe Road - we were very strongly opposed to when the proposals came in.

" It's not just a road for motorists it's a place where people walk. It's an narrowish road which is the first road after Handy Cross roundabout and in winter is very dark and dim. "Drivers suddenly find someone on the road where you're not expecting it."

Peter Borrows, chairman of Marlow Bottom Residents Association, described it is "a particularly hazardous bit of road" and said the speed limit and lack of footpath needed addressing Concerns have been raised about pub goers walking home after a night from The Three Horsehoes, situated on the Wycombe Road.

Mr Banfield said: "Someone could clearly be injured that's what we are worried about. It strikes me as a bit of a nonsense, we are trying to promote healthy living to people but this is a hazard - people can end up twisting her ankle in a pothole or something. "It's the 21st century and I find it's gone a bit too far. The planners think it's okay because we haven't had any injuries but are we going to wait until somebody is killed before we do anything?"

He added: " Where there are not any safety issues I can see a good reason for it but it seems to be about saving costs not the planet."

Phil Stonehewer, strategic maintenance and road casualty reduction manager for Buckinghamshire, said: "These lights have been switched off as part of a three-year county-wide trial.

"All sites selected for this trial were audited prior to inclusion, and will be monitored throughout the three-year trial period. To date, no incidents have been reported at the C100 stretch."