An £8 million improvement scheme to upgrade street lights, cut carbon emissions and reduce light pollution is under way in Newcastle.
Newcastle City Council said it will involve around 34,000 streetlights being replaced across the city and is projected to provide annual savings of around £1.4 million through the use of more energy-efficient technology.
The council is working with SSE Enterprise Contracting to replace the old sodium lights with new LED ones that give off a whiter light for improved visibility. These are longer lasting and less likely to fail with lower maintenance costs than traditional streetlights.
Councillor Arlene Ainsley, cabinet member for transport and air quality, said: “We are investing in more efficient street lighting across our city which will reduce both our energy costs and our carbon footprint.
“The new LED lights are much more environmentally friendly than the older sodium lights and, because the light is focused down to the ground rather than being emitted in all directions, they produce a lot less light pollution.
“This investment will not only result in better and more consistent street lighting across the city, it will also help us to reduce our impact on the environment.”
Work to replace streetlights began in the west end of the city and the scheme is expected to be complete by summer 2021.
Image: Councillor Arlene Ainsley, cabinet member for transport and air quality at Newcastle City Council, with Sean Middleton, project manager at SSE Enterprise Contracting
