TEENAGERS from a Cirencester school are campaigning to get street lights installed in a dark area of the town, which they say could massively improve the safety of the road for all the children who use it regularly.

Ollie Wagstaff, Mike Evans, Rob Grady and Michael Cook, all aged 15, have launched a petition to introduce the street lights in the City Bank area of Watermoor, Cirencester, and have already received more than 70 signatures.

The campaign is part of a Year 10 project they are taking part in at Kingshill School and the boys have already carried out extensive research which has included contacting councillors and officials in the area.

Yet Cirencester Town Council says the street lights are not needed in the road, even though the teenagers claim a lot of younger children walk through the area on their way home from school.

“We just feel that, because some crimes have happened there in the past, we feel it would be a lot safer with street lights,” said group member Ollie.

“It’s quite close to Cirencester Primary School too so quite a lot of younger people walk through the area as well.”

Cllr Jenny Hincks, who represents the Watermoor area for Cirencester Town Council, said that if street lights increased the safety of City Bank residents she would be all for the idea.

“But I have lived in the area for 40 years and I have never had anyone approach me about this,” she said.

“The people who do walk down there use a torch because they are used to it being dark.”

Estate services manager for Cirencester Town Council Martin Conyers said he did not believe the lack of street lights was a problem.

“We do not see it as necessary,” he said. “There is also a technical problem of putting lights on a scheduled ancient monument.

“We have offered to meet the students and the teachers to talk through this further.

“Apart from these students, no-one had ever contacted us about this.”

Do you think City Bank needs street lights to be safer?

Email mar@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk to share your views on the issue.