Hi-tech plan for street lights that respond to cars
Street lights which turn themselves off when there are no cars on the road could soon be introduced to parts of Northamptonshire.
Northamptonshire County Council is currently working on a joint project with Cambridgeshire County Council to replace worn-out lights across the two areas.
In Northamptonshire, the project is expected to see the majority of the county's 64,000 street lights replaced as part of the 88 million scheme.
The council's cabinet member for roads, Councillor Bob Seery (Con, Thrapston) said: "We want to revolutionise street lighting in the county and street lights with sensors on them so they can be switched off are certainly high on our agenda."
It is expected the automatic lights would mainly be installed on country roads and areas which do not have much traffic.
In other areas, street lights could be spaced out further along pavements so fewer were needed.
The move would be designed to both save money and reduce the amount of electricity used by the council.
Highlighting current problems with street lighting in the county, Councillor Seery said: "There's a deteriorating condition of lighting across the county. Some of them are well over 20 years old.
"So we need to look at replacing them and also look at how we can tackle issues of energy consumption.
"I believe the project will be a real benefit in regards of both safety for motorists and pedestrians and helping to reduce global warming."
The scheme has been backed by the council's cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Ben Smith (Con, Greens Norton).
But he joked that he would like to see an even more radical method brought in to reduce the council's electricity bill.
He said: "Personally, I'd be quite radical and put up a couple of giant wind turbines on council land and power all the street lights from that.
"But I don't think we'll get as radical as that."
Talks are currently under way between the county council and the Government to work out how the project will be funded, but it is hoped work to replace street lights could start as soon as June 2009.
wayne.bontoft@northantsnews.co.uk
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