More streetlights to be turned off on East Riding roads in major sustainability project
More streetlights are to be turned off around East Yorkshire as authorities look to make motoring more sustainable by reducing energy consumption.
The project is part of a major programme from the Department of Transport, which believes modern super-bright headlights are making many lamp posts obsolete.
Phase one of the project, delivered by East Riding Of Yorkshire Council, was funded by a £3.3-million award from the Department for Transport. The authority’s work has been lauded by experts, winning ten national awards.
Now a further £2-million grant, from the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority, will see many more street lights being turned off around the region. In their place a variety of innovations will be installed such as improved new reflecting road studs, better signage, brighter white lines and lighting specifically for pedestrians.
The East Riding led nine other authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the pilot scheme investigating street lighting with the goal of setting a new British Standard for councils across the country.
Reducing driver speeds
In this area, the testing involved safely switching off street lighting along various lengths of two of the area’s busiest roads, the A164 and the A1079. After a year monitoring driver behaviour and safety, the results showed that driver speeds were reduced by ten per cent and night-time collisions were reduced by a third.
The project is on track to reduce carbon emissions by 160 tonnes and save £1.2m of public money over the next 10 years.
Councillor Paul West, the council’s cabinet member for transport and environment, explained this project put the region’s motorists at the forefront of sweeping changes that would change the experience of night-time driving around the country.
He said: “We are incredibly proud of this scheme and the small team running it, because it shows the East Riding is leading the way in what could soon become a nationwide change.”
The council has now identified a further 54 sites on A roads across the East Riding – not residential roads – which could see lights being switched off, and alternatives installed such as brighter white lines and pedestrian-only lighting.
Turning off 2,500 street lights
In total, the new three-year programme will see 2,500 street lights being turned off in order to cut 500 tonnes of carbon emissions and save £5m of public money over the next 10 years.
The project has won ten national awards over the past year for helping to reducing carbon and for its innovation, including the ‘Net Zero Project of the Year 2025’ from the Department for Transport.
Some motoring experts are airing caution about the pace of change for drivers, and are urging local authorities to improve lighting at major junctions, roundabouts and pedestrian crossings as part of any lighting schemes.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at The AA, said: “New advancements in safety technology are always welcome, however councils need to get the balance right when it comes to switching off streetlights on main roads.
“At major junctions, roundabouts and pedestrian crossings, lighting should be improved and maintained to help all road users get through safely.”