Thousands of street lights to be replaced in Wokingham

Wokingham Borough Council will spend £12 million on replacing thousands of street lights and columns across the borough over the next five years.

An additional 6,300 lighting units on existing columns will also be replaced. It is hoped the project will save the public purse some £14m at the end of 20 years.

The council manages more than 16,000 street lights across the borough and each one has a lifespan of approximately 25 years. A large proportion of the borough’s street lights are nearing the end of their life.

Energy expenses account for the largest cost of running street lighting, amounting to more than £600,000 last year.

The upgraded street lights will be replaced with more energy efficient equipment that uses white light.

Cllr John Kaiser, executive member for planning and highways, said: "Due to recent progress made in the development of new lighting technologies, such as LED light sources and remote control/monitoring systems, this project will not only be more energy efficient and reduce light pollution.

"It will also be of no cost to the local taxpayer, as the costs of installing the new equipment will be outweighed by the savings in energy and maintenance costs. We’re keen to be at the forefront of adopting these advances and to reap the benefits for our residents."

Additional lighting units won’t be installed as part of the project. Work is due to begin in the new financial year once a contractor has been chosen.