CONCERNS have been raised about street lighting in Salisbury, with women feeling "uncomfortable" walking along the river at night.

Despite this, the need for street lights was deemed a "challenging situation" in tems of Salisbury's river park scheme.

This is because areas covered by this project - Fisherton Recreation Ground, Ashley Road Open Space, Central Car Parking and land at the Maltings - need to remain dark for the environment and wildlife.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Salisbury's River Park

During the Salisbury area board meeting on Thursday, March 10, Liz Batten, of the Salisbury branch of Soroptimist International, called for a "good lighting plan" throughout the area affected by the river plan.

She highlighted that women feel "uncomfortable" in these areas in the dark.

Describing it as a "challenging situation" however, Andy Wallis, Salisbury River Park Project lead, said: "We are looking to provide all the lighting we can in terms of safety for all the paths, but we also have a very strict requirement in terms of keeping lots of areas dark for the ecology.

"For example the river corridors, legally we cannot light the corridors because of the species that use it.

"We have to design lighting in a way where we don’t get light spill into areas we don’t want the light."

Mr Wallis assured a lighting strategy is underway, adding there will be lights along the main footpaths and routes, including along the central car park edge and river side.

"There will be bits that aren’t as lit and that’s just something we cannot avoid," he said.

"We’re doing what we can but we can’t over light areas."

The issue of lighting was also raised during talks about the Fisherton Gateway and Station Forecourt plans for the city.

Both Ms Batten and Councillor Paul Sample (Lib Dem) voiced their concerns on the matter.

"How will you ensure design reduces the potential for crime and makes women feel safer," Cllr Sample asked the board.

In response, Carli VanNiekerk, major highway projects engineer, said an assessment had been completed, researching areas like the location of bus shelters and the need for extra lighting in overlooked footpaths and crossing points.

She added tht the safety of women was very much "a concern in the design of the lighting in all of these projects".

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