Residents have expressed concerns that streetlights in Borehamwood are not bright enough and being switched off too early.

In recent weeks, there has been debate on social media about people's safety at night following the death of Sarah Everard in south London.

Ms Everard went missing from Clapham on March 3 and a week later, her remains were found in Kent. A serving Met police officer, Wayne Couzens, has been charged with Ms Everard's murder.

The death sparked a wave of debate over the safety of women, particularly at night.

Train driver Maddy Corper says her job often means she comes home late at night and she would like to see streetlights stay on for longer.

Ms Corper, who lives in Borehamwood, said: "I work shifts as a train driver. This means leaving home or getting back in the early hours. If there is no space in front, then I have to park behind my house.

"The footpath is pitch black at night. Also it is very dark in front of the house so I have to use a torch. It is unnerving and rather scary."

Streetlights in Hertfordshire begin to dim at 9pm, and are then dimmed further at 11pm, before being fully turned off at 1am, and switched back on at 5am.

Another resident told the Times: "The lighting is insufficient and mainly the concern is whether we feel safe to walk around the streets of Borehamwood.

"It is so disappointing that the street lights in Borehamwood are so dimly lit as the council opts to use energy saving light.

"In roads in Barnet, the lampposts are bright and residents are offered a level of safety because of this. The revised council rates have increased so I think residents of the area feel very resentful."

Hertfordshire County Council has said it is responsible for around 115,000 streetlights, of which 75,000 are on for part of the night.

The council says its part night lighting policy, combined with the switch to LED streetlights, has led to a 60 per cent reduction in carbon emissions from street lighting, as well as improving light pollution, reducing demand for energy and avoiding around £5million a year on the council’s electricity bill.

A council spokesperson said: "We acknowledge residents’ concerns around safety on our streets following the tragic murder of Sarah Everard in London.

"In Hertfordshire we have developed a modern streetlight system that is flexible to meet the needs of varied and changing requirements across the county, and we will continue to monitor that system to ensure people feel safe when out during the hours of darkness.

"Part night lighting was introduced about eight years ago, and crime rates were monitored in the early years of the project, with no increases in crime due to the change in lighting. Continuous monitoring since then has showed that, overall, there is no evidence to suggest that part night lighting has exacerbated crime levels at night."