Turning-off is a turn-on for Powys

23 April 2008
 
Powys County Council is considering switching off almost half its 14,000 streetlights permanently, in a bid to save money and reduce carbon emissions.

Faced with a 36% increase in energy costs and a range of savings options, a working party has recommended switching off alternate lights in non-core areas, making it the latest authority to adopt such a method this year.

The alternative way – gradually converting all the lights to part-night operation – could not be delivered, due to the time it would take to obtain equipment and convert the lights. The preferred option is a permanent switch-off for 5,000 lights in 2008-09, and a further 1,400 by next March. Trunk roads and ‘core areas’ will not be affected, and consultations with town and community councils will identify where core areas are.

‘We had considered moving to part-night lighting to tackle the budget problem, but the scale of energy cost increases and time required to carry out the work has meant a more radical approach,’ explained executive director for organisation and regeneration, Jeremy Patterson. ‘Switching off alternate lights will retain an acceptable level of lighting, and is considered preferable to switching off all lighting in targeted areas.’

The council had already agreed a budget reduction of £50,000 and was facing a £175,000 increase in energy costs. Members were told the new policy would reduce CO2 emissions by 1,400t in 2009-10. A long-term strategy will be developed for the redundant lights, including removal or recommissioning with energy saving. The council was due to decide on a switch-off this week, but deferred the decision for another six weeks while town and community councils are consulted. Powys is not the first highway authority to look at reducing lighting to save energy.

Buckinghamshire County Council agreed to switch off 300 lights last year (Surveyor, 8 February 2008), and others have followed. Buckinghamshire says there has been no obvious increase in accidents. One site saw seven collisions in the last five months of 2006, but only three in the same period in 2007, after its lighting was reduced.

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