The Staffordshire County Council has given its backing to a £4.9million proposal to replace thousands of streetlights with energy-efficient LED bulbs. The move is expected to savings of around £1.2million in energy costs each year. The council has approved the project, which is part of its Invest to Save initiative. The project will be delivered over the next two years by E.ON on behalf of the council.
“Now that the proposal has been approved, we can move ahead with replacing a further 15,000 streetlights with LEDs,”
said Cllr Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for strategic highways. These lights are not only longer lasting, which reduces the likelihood of outages, but they’re also 60% cheaper to run than the old streetlights they’re replacing. They’ll also improve public safety.
- Previous phase of work saw almost 48,000 LED bulbs installed in 2020.
- These bulbs have been installed in areas with high foot traffic, such as town centers and shopping districts.
- Upgrades will be funded through the county council’s Private Finance Initiative reserve fund, which is ring-fenced for streetlight improvements.
- The reserve fund is used to finance capital projects that will have a long-term benefit to the council and its residents.
| Benefits of LED streetlights | Cost savings |
|---|---|
| Longer lasting | 60% cheaper to run |
| Improved public safety | Reduced likelihood of outages |
“So far, the Invest to Save initiative has helped us save £2.2million per year on energy costs,” said Cllr Mason. “With the next phase now approved, we expect to save an additional £1.2million annually, continuing our commitment to public safety and financial responsibility.”
“We are committed to providing our residents with the best possible infrastructure and services,” said Cllr Mason. “The Invest to Save initiative is an important part of this commitment.”
Invest to Save Initiative
The Invest to Save initiative is a program aimed at reducing the county council’s energy costs and improving public safety.
