£400k LED street lights energy savings help protect front line services – as councillor says people ‘better walking around with a candle’

Questions have been asked over the effectiveness of the new LED streetlights currently being installed across Wrexham.

In January 2019 it was announced that over 10,200 streetlights in the county borough would be replaced over the next two years in a bid to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions.

The works have funded by an £1.5 million interest free loan from Salix – which provides funding to the public sector to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and lower energy bills.

To help support the roll out of LED street lighting the council has committed capital funding to the value of £600,000 as part of its on-going programme of works to reduce carbon emissions.

However there were questions this week over the effectiveness of the lighting at the homes and environment scrutiny committee, with Plas Madoc councillor Paul Blackwell stating there had been ‘a lot of complaints’ that it is “better walking around with a candle sometimes” due to the quality of light.

He said: “There are complaints that the lighting is really poor quality and reduced compared to what it what before. Are there any plans to increase the lights? LED lights are quite bright but these are quite low indeed.”

However the committee was told that the lights meet the “UK lighting design standards” and that they are helping save money on the council’s energy bills as well as reducing its carbon footprint.

Chief Officer Environment & Technical at Wrexham Council, Darren Williams: “They might not be as bright as you would like them to be, they might not be as bright as I would like and they are certainly not as bright for all the residents. But they do meet the standards.

“It means it is consistent and importantly they also mean we have a sustainable set of infrastructure that we can make sure we keep putting on for the next 20-30 years. We don’t have to turn anymore lights out and we are also drawing in close to £400,000 a year savings.

“The trouble is with street lighting is people look at discrepancies between what it used to be like what it is like now. They can look at the bright lights shining on a neighbour’s porch and then look at the light shining on they think that’s brighter and that it can’t be right.

“The reality is the highways lighting is there just for the highway. It is not there to light any amenity areas or gardens. What we are getting now is a more focused light.”

So far around 2,000 of the new LED street lights owned by Wrexham Council have been installed.

Street lighting that is owned and maintained by local community councils will not be upgraded as part of the two year improvement scheme.

Cllr David A Bithell, lead member for environment and transport, reiterated that the new lights are helping the local authority save £400,000 a year and reminded committee members that previously switching the street lights off at night had been considered as an option to save money.

He said: “The reality is this was part of the budget process when we agreed to save 150k in three years to reduce maintenance for our street lighting stock.

“We’ve previously been to these committees about looking at various options. Some will recall that we did look at part-night lighting and switching them off. We’ve resisted that because members and quite frankly I wouldn’t support switching them off.

“They have been designed to British standards. We have also had money from Salix funding, worked with the carbon trust and various partners to make sure lighting design is to the specification.

“It is a different type of lighting. In one aspect we talk about a climate emergency, well this actually addresses some of the issues because people might not like seeing change – and I understand that – but the reality is we have to reduce our energy costs.

“By reducing our energy costs and saving £400,000 a year, that is protecting front line services to deliver services on the ground.”

Cllr Bithell added: “When people do complain they need to understand that we are trying to do things in a way where we can make all these efficiences and savings without affecting frontline services.”

Our tweets from the meeting, in particular this one, had several replies from residents indicating new lights are very bright – however it is unclear if these are new council or community lights:

The LED streetlights across the area have helped save the council £400,000 a year.

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) May 8, 2019

From what I can tell, despite their perceived brightness the light casting ability of them is pretty dire. Is this just those around me perhaps (Nant Parc, Johnstown)?

— Lee Baines (@lee_baines) May 8, 2019

Horrible lights, keep the bedroom like blackpool illuminations all night and dazzle when driving, you can feel your eyes relax when you enter a sodium lamp road (old yellow glow).

— Lindopski (@Lindopski) May 8, 2019

Save money for the council but some residents paying out for black out blinds for windows!! Bonus is we don't need a security light on the drive!!

— Jane Angharad (@JaneAngharadJ) May 9, 2019

And the one outside my bedroom window has saved me £1000's as I never have to switch my light on !!!!

— vikkivictoria (@vikkispeaky) May 9, 2019

I thought someone had installed security lights across the road from me before I realised they were the street lights.

— Nick Clark (@CosmicsheepNick) May 9, 2019