Hertfordshire County Council has been named the second worst authority in the country for street lighting in a public satisfaction poll.

Herts finished only ahead of Essex County Council for its use of street lighting in the National Highways and Transport Network satisfaction survey.

The bottom five authorities on the list all operate a blackout during the early hours of the morning to save cash.

The AA has highlighted the dangers facing motorists on unlit roads - but a council chief claims there is no evidence to suggest the county's roads are any more dangerous without lights.

AA president Edmund King said: "New official road safety statistics show that accident rates on blacked-out town and city roads are not getting better. 

"In fact, on 40mph roads, they are getting much worse - particularly in bad weather.

"This is the type of road where most of the fatalities, for which coroners blamed street-light switch-offs as a contributory factor, happened.

"We would ask that, as a priority, the lights go back on along 40mph or faster roads in built-up areas.

"Crash investigators in inquests have consistently stated that drivers who keep to the speed limit on those roads have little or no chance of missing pedestrians that suddenly appear out of the dark."

Government figures showed that over the past five years, improved road safety has seen accidents in hours of darkness on built-up roads where there is street lighting fall 18.6 percent overall, and 24 percent in the wet, snow and ice.

But where street lights were off or not present, the reduction was only 12 percent overall and 16.7 percent in bad weather.

The AA added that the situation was worse on faster roads. 

Since 2008, night-time accidents on street-lit 40mph sections have dropped 24.1 percent and 30.4 percent in bad conditions, but are down only 10.4 percent where street lights were off or not present.

But Councillor Terry Douris, cabinet member for highways at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "Our review showed that - despite some people’s fears - there has been no increase in road traffic accidents due to part-night lighting.

"Before lights were converted, we worked closely with the police and county councillors and ensured lights were left on in areas with higher crime rates or road traffic accidents.

"In Hertfordshire, particular care was taken to illuminate areas where there is a road obstacle - a junction on a main road, roundabout, central island, traffic calming measure, pedestrian crossing, etc. The recorded history of road traffic accidents along individual routes was also considered before any changes were implemented."

Councillor Douris said the "difficult decision" to switch off the lights was saving the authority about £1m a year and reducing carbon emissions.

More information about the ciounty's street lights visit www.hertsdirect.org/streetlights