Street lights to stay on all night at Christmas and New Year
Wednesday, 14th December 2011.
All Suffolk County Council-managed street lights will remain switched on from dusk until dawn over the Christmas period and on New Year’s Eve.
Whether celebrating with friends or visiting family, there is always an increase in activity over the festive period. With this in mind, Suffolk County Council says it is making an effort to ensure street lights remain on all night on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Saturday, December 23, 24, 25 and 31.
Between Monday and Friday, December 26-30, street lights will also be left on until 1am.
As agreed by the council’s cabinet in October 2010, all street lights managed by Suffolk County Council that are six metres in height and below are to be switched off between the hours of midnight and 5.30am as part of a new intelligent street lighting system.
However, the county council is sensitive to local need which is why there are fully adjustable settings making it possible for street lighting to be left on for longer periods, or remaining on all night, where it is necessary for safety and community confidence.
Cllr Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s portfolio holder for roads and transport, said: “We understand how important it is for people in our county to feel safe over Christmas and the New Year, when they are more likely to be celebrating late into the night.
“This is a perfect example of how the system is flexible and can be adjusted to suit the needs of communities at specific times of the year.”
Through the system, it is estimated that the council will save almost £900,000 a year in energy bills (based on predicted energy prices for 2012/13) and carbon.
Suffolk has an ambition to reduce itsr carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025 and the introduction of the system will deliver a CO2 reduction of over 4,000 tonnes by April 2013.
Whether celebrating with friends or visiting family, there is always an increase in activity over the festive period. With this in mind, Suffolk County Council says it is making an effort to ensure street lights remain on all night on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Saturday, December 23, 24, 25 and 31.
Between Monday and Friday, December 26-30, street lights will also be left on until 1am.
As agreed by the council’s cabinet in October 2010, all street lights managed by Suffolk County Council that are six metres in height and below are to be switched off between the hours of midnight and 5.30am as part of a new intelligent street lighting system.
However, the county council is sensitive to local need which is why there are fully adjustable settings making it possible for street lighting to be left on for longer periods, or remaining on all night, where it is necessary for safety and community confidence.
Cllr Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s portfolio holder for roads and transport, said: “We understand how important it is for people in our county to feel safe over Christmas and the New Year, when they are more likely to be celebrating late into the night.
“This is a perfect example of how the system is flexible and can be adjusted to suit the needs of communities at specific times of the year.”
Through the system, it is estimated that the council will save almost £900,000 a year in energy bills (based on predicted energy prices for 2012/13) and carbon.
Suffolk has an ambition to reduce itsr carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025 and the introduction of the system will deliver a CO2 reduction of over 4,000 tonnes by April 2013.
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