New streetlights project saves £8 million, but some residents find the lights too bright or dim.
The project cost about £45 million total. The council borrowed money to pay for it, expecting to save energy over time. Officials learned about project updates at a meeting.
Most of the light replacements are already complete. However, they still need to upgrade some lights. The new lights have already saved money; the council now spends £8 million less on streetlight power than in 2018.
The new lights use less power, and staff can control the lights from one place, enabling remote dimming or brightening. The lights report issues automatically; this should reduce the time faulty lights stay broken. The officials received a report showing ward savings.
Ilkley’s new costs are now £44,875 compared to £164,611 with the old lights, showing a large cost decrease. Keighley West shows an even bigger change: the lighting cost went from £272,251 to £60,091. They made some real progress!
A street lighting engineer spoke at the meeting, saying they saved about £8 million. He compared it to keeping the old lights from 2018. The project expects to cut pollution too, with the streetlights releasing 6,000 fewer tonnes of carbon dioxide yearly.
A council member asked about public opinion. Some people like the new lights’ glow, while others think they seem too bright. The engineer acknowledged mixed reactions, as some think lights are too dim for door keys. He said lights should illuminate roads and sidewalks.