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THE lights are being switched out on late-night vandals this week in a bid to stop trouble at a town centre car park in Yeovil.

South Somerset District Council and the police are taking action to stop noisy gatherings of young people in West Hendford car park - by switching the lights off at night.

The covered car park close to Yeovil town centre has become a favourite hang-out for vandals who have damaged lights and CCTV cameras and burnt out ticket machines, and caused disturbance to the nearby residential home.

After talks with local police officers, the council's property team has decided to switch off the lights from 8pm to 7am, in order to make the area less of a target for congregations of people in the late at night.

The council's principal engineer, Garry Green, said: "We are hoping this will deter people from gathering here at night.

"It makes sense to turn the lights off when the car park is closed to cars - the entrance is closed from 8pm so there is really no need for the lighting after this time."

Disturbance at the car park has already been greatly reduced after the district council, police and the developer of the nearby Athena residential home got together to in-stall pop-up barriers that go up to block ve-hicle access at night. Before this was implemented, the area was used by drivers causing nuisance in the evenings.

Cllr Jo Roundell Greene, the council's portfolio holder for environment and property, added: "We have been working very hard on combating anti-social behaviour and promoting community safety over the last few years and I am confident this will make a real difference to those living around West Hendford car park."

Town centre beat manager PC Amanda Mehrlich said the problems started around two years ago with nuisance driving which has since been stopped due to the pop-up barriers.

She added: "Local businesses and residents were very pleased but in the last six months we have started to see gatherings of young people, who are creating disturbance.

"So, from our point of view, it has been extremely beneficial meeting with South Somerset District Council and Yeovil Town Council to come up with ideas on how to deter the gatherings."

Signs informing people of the changes have been put up at the entrance to the car park and the switch-off is planned from this Friday (May 9) onwards.

1:42pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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