RESIDENTS say it has become too dangerous to go out after dark because street lights on their road have been broken for more than three months.

A number of street lights in Burnt Mills Road, Basildon, have not been working since well before Christmas.

And despite a number of attempts to contact Essex County Council to get them repaired, the large residential area is still in the dark.

Norma Campling, of Langford Grove, said: “From Great Leighs Way all the way down to where the old school is, is in pitch black darkness.

“I walk home from work and sometimes I go down that way in the car but if it’s dark I will go round the long way.

“It is getting lighter now but it’s just not on. Burnt Mills isn’t a good road to be walking down at the best of times let alone when it’s pitch black. My husband doesn’t like it either, he doesn’t like me walking down there - it’s dangerous for everyone.”

The 52-year-old added: “I saw a young girl walking along the other day on Burnt Mills with headphones on - you think to yourself, I wouldn’t put myself in my position.”

“There is a real problem with speeding down here as well, and with the lack of lighting and the roadworks that are going on it is a worry.”

Sandra Crosby, 68, of Davenants, said: “The lights have been out since before Christmas. It’s terrible. It’s just so dark.

“Normally it’s fixed quite quickly, especially if it’s a load of lights that are out, but it’s been like that for months.

“You can go online and pin-point where the faults are and it will say that it is being looked into but the council haven’t done anything.

“People also come down that road at 60 to 70mph and they are not supposed to. I’m surprised there hasn’t been an accident because it is so dark.

“It’s a road that gets used a lot, and it’s just pitch black, it’s not good. My sister-in-law lives round the corner who I often walk round to but I wouldn’t walk out there when it’s dark - especially nowadays you can feel quite vulnerable in the dark.

“It’s that dark that anything could happen, I just don’t know why the council haven’t done anything in all this time.

“We pay our council tax, I think it’s so wrong. It’s too dangerous to leave it.”

Rob Hill, of Davenants, and Chairman for Pitsea north west Community Association, said: “It’s very dangerous - there are lots of elderly people, children, and people with their animals who walk down Burnt Mills Road and, with the roadworks along there now, it’s such a hazard and a real safety issue.”

Fred Taylor, 82, of Davenants, added: “I still drive for my wife who is disabled and it’s very hard to see, I have to use my full beams and dip them when other cars come along.

“The roadworks there at the moment have no reflectors on which makes it even harder.”

A spokesman for Essex Highways, said: “We apologise for these several lights all out in one stretch of the road. The fault is with the electricity supply cables. Our specialist team has Burnt Mills Road on their list for repair, with the current estimate of around four weeks.”