New £3.8m replacement street lights scheme in Sandwell Council bid to save money
Council bosses look set to fork out nearly £4 million in replacing thousands of ageing street lights to save nearly £300,000 a year.
Sandwell Council is expected to approve the plans to upgrade 11,329 yellow sodium lamps with more energy efficient LED lanterns at their cabinet meeting next week.
The three-year project will see the replacement of the ageing lamps paid for over four years, at a cost of £3,866,655.
The council’s highways boss David Hosell said it was good news as the new lighting could help reduce road accidents and anti-social behaviour.
A report to the cabinet stated lanterns across the borough had become ‘outdated technology’ when compared with efficient LED lighting that can be controlled by CMS for enhanced energy savings.
The move comes as manufacturers of the existing street lights say spare parts will cease to be produced by 2020.
Councillor Hosell, cabinet member for highways and environment, said: “The council is planning to spend nearly £4m in replacing thousands of ageing street lights, in a bid to save £270,000 a year.
"We have plans to upgrade the 11,329 lights with more energy efficient LED lanterns.
"It will take three years work for the replacement of a third of all street lights in Sandwell.
"This is good news because good and reliable street lighting contributes to safe efficient transport routes, reducing road traffic accidents, casualties and anti-social behaviour
“The project will also assist with delivering the council’s carbon reduction targets, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and long term sustainable environmental benefits.”
The replacements will be paid for by an interest free loan that will pay 95 per cent of the scheme’s costs.
If approved the project will be put out to tender.
