Lighting upgrade will take 36 YEARS
It will take Shropshire Council 36 YEARS to switch its street lighting to energy-efficient bulbs, the authority has revealed.
And it does not expect to see any savings from its street lighting budget when the work is complete, saying that any efficiency benefits will be offset by the cost of installing more lights and rising electricity prices.
Meanwhile, Telford & Wrekin Council says it will more than double its street-lighting budget this year as upgrades more than 20,000 street lights across the borough by installing more efficient LED lighting.
From 2014 to 2017, Telford & Wrekin Council spent an average of about £1.5 million each year on running, installing and maintaining street lighting. But this year the authority plans to spend nearly £3.6 million on roadside illumination.
Sasha Hickman, of Telford & Wrekin Council, said the investment would secure savings of £420,000 over the present financial y ear.
"LED lighting uses significantly less energy than traditional street lighting lanterns, enabling at least a 50 per cent reduction in energy.
"LED lighting is also considerably more reliable meaning a reduction in the number of faults and the cost of maintenance.
"This reduction in energy use helps the council reach CO2 reduction targets. This is an excellent opportunity to improve the quality of street lighting for residents, and to deliver significant savings."
Shropshire Council maintains just over 18,000 street lights across the county.
Responding to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Shropshire Council's director of place and enterprise said the authority had so far installed 3,169 LED lights.
"The authority is programming between 450 and 500 changes each year, subject to funding, which means it will take at least 36 years before all lighting is LED or its equivalent," he added.
Mr Candler said the amount the council spent on installing, running and maintaining street lighting had steadily risen over the past four years.
During the 2015/16 financial year, the authority spent just under £1.64 million, rising to £1.67 million in 2016/17, £1.89 million in 2017/18, with £1.99 million earmarked for the new financial year.
"Overall, the council will spend more on street lighting than previously incurred, growth in numbers of lights and increased cost of electricity are greater than the savings from energy-efficient lights," Mr Candler added.
