THE town will be lit up this weekend as street lights, turned off to save money, are switched back on.

Swindon Council announced the U-turn in February and this weekend will see all the 433 lights that were switched off last July turned back on.

Plans to turn the lights back on were announced at the budget meeting last month.

It will cost of £30,000 and the money, from central funds, was taken into account in the budget.

A council spokesman said: “The lights will be going back on this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18.

“This applies to all the lights that were switched off as part of the trial, including those in Highworth.”

The controversial plans to turn off the lights at several locations across the town, included West Swindon, Great Western Way and Highworth.

Among those concerned by the switch-off were members of Highworth Running Club after the council switched off the lights in Roundhills Mead, in the town.

Members of the club appealed to the council, saying that it was dangerous for them to run in the dark.

And they are pleased with the change of heart.

The chairman of the Highworth Running Club, Mike Rendall, said: “The turning off of street lights was a concern for us.

“Many of our members use the route as part of their winter training – it’s quite difficult to get a decent route around Highworth during the dark winter evenings.

“There is a particular issue around our regular Wednesday evening club meetings, where up to 40 members often use the route from the Vorda Playgroup where we meet, down Haresfield towards the Lechlade Road roundabout.”

Council leader Rod Bluh said the turnabout was in response to fears it could lead to more road accidents.

But he said he was not aware there had been any problems.

“This was a trial and you don’t get to do new things in a different way if you don’t trial things,” he said.

“It was not just to save money, it was about the environmental aspect as well.

Why are we, in the days of scarce energy, running a lot of lights that perhaps weren’t needed?

“It was never about switching off all of the lights, we were talking about switching off the lights that we didn’t think were crucial to everyday life.

“This was a trial, it has not been popular.

“Clearly people haven’t accepted the need for it and if there’s a public will against it I think we have to react to that.

“What I would say is long-term we need to have more efficient lights.”