Councillors agree street lighting pilot

The Highland Council’s Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee, has agreed to consult with local communities to identify appropriate areas for trialing energy reduction options for street lighting.

They have also agreed development guidelines that street lighting is only required in new residential areas with more than 15 properties.

The results of a recent budget consultation highlighted a strong preference for turning off every second light, followed by turning off some street lights between 12 midnight and 6 am, and dimming street lights between 12 midnight and 6 am.  There is very little support for turning off all street lights between 12 midnight and 6 am, and in reality this could not happen due to the need to provide lighting in areas with CCTV.

In order to fully assess the impact of the options, the Council proposes to carry out trials to assess the reaction from the local community, and the level of savings achieved.

Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the TEC Services Committee  said: “Public safety is of primary concern.  We are going to consult with local communities and the Police to agree the most appropriate options in terms of reducing energy consumption. It is intended to identify a trial area in each Ward in order to provide information for both urban and rural communities. It may well be that different options are preferred for different communities. It is important that the trial areas are monitored to ensure that there is no increase in crime or road traffic accidents.”


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