North Yorkshire Council is replacing around 4,500 streetlights with LED technology, alongside updates to columns and brackets.
This project is aimed at saving about £300,000 in annual energy costs, reducing carbon emissions, and safeguarding the area’s dark skies.
Councillor Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, said: “The streetlights upgrade is a major step in reducing our carbon emissions while cutting energy costs.Aurora Borealis at Sandsend (Image: NYCC)
“Replacing about 4,500 streetlights with LED technology will generate energy savings of more than a million kilowatts per hour and save about £300,000 in annual energy costs, based on current energy prices.”
“An additional benefit will be the protection of dark skies in rural parts of North Yorkshire.
“By introducing warm white LED lighting and switching them off at a time when they’re not required, we can help create a clearer view of the night sky, brimming with stars, as well as support our vital nocturnal wildlife across North Yorkshire.”
He added: “By introducing warm white LED lighting and switching them off at a time when they’re not required, we can help create a clearer view of the night sky, brimming with stars, as well as support our vital nocturnal wildlife across North Yorkshire.”Semerwater in Wensleydale (Image: NYCC)
Much of the lighting due to be upgraded will be beyond repair in the next five years due to changes in EU legislation that have made numerous lamp types obsolete.
The council plans to replace these lights under a coordinated three-year programme to ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
During the rollout, about 50 per cent of these streetlights will be changed to part-night lighting.
This means they will automatically switch on at dusk and off at midnight, then come on again at 5am and off at dawn if required.
The upgrades support the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks’ International Dark Sky Reserve status.
Derek Twine, chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: “It’s really good to see the council working to protect the dark skies in North Yorkshire and specifically in the two national parks.”
The £4 million project, made possible by £2.5 million extra capital investment funding from the council’s strategic funds, will begin this month and is expected to take three years to complete.
Residents on affected streets will receive a leaflet before work begins, and further information can be found at www.northyorks.gov.uk/streetlighting.