Street lights will shine for longer in £3.2m initiative

Hundreds more LED street lights are being installed across Bucks as part of £3.2m drive to cut costs and save the environment.

Bucks County Council will convert 2,585 street lights in 110 locations by March 2015, reducing the county council’s electricity bill and cutting carbon emissions.

In the first year of the project 2,500 street lights were converted.

When the three year £3.2 million programme is complete nearly 8,000 lamps out of 10,200 streetlights will have been replaced with LED (Light Emitting Diode) lanterns.

The replacement programme is part funded by the county council and the government.

The lanterns have a 15-year lifespan - around three times the life of conventional lamps - and will save 16,000 individual lamp changes across the county.

As well as yearly replacement savings of £135,720, an extra £105,318 will be saved on energy bills every year and carbon emissions will be reduced by around 495 tonnes.

The new lanterns give a brighter and cleaner light which is also more directional, reducing light pollution and glare to drivers eyes.

Bucks County Council will also make savings in staff time, journey times, equipment, and vehicle wear and tear.

Ruth Vigor-Hedderly, county council cabinet member for transport said: “I am proud that we’re leading the way with this project to ensure our county is at the forefront of new technology.

“It’s so important that we do our best to become more efficient – in time, energy and money – and this scheme delivers on all fronts.”

A plan to replace street lights in residential areas is subject to future funding.

The aim is to convert 90% of the county’s street lights to LED within five years.

The full programme can be found online at www.buckscc.gov.uk/ledreplacement.