£25m programme to lighten our streets

TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington are being asked to approve a framework for the supply of materials needed for a 10-year £25 million programme to replace the borough’s ageing street lamps.
The upgrade will cut costs through the use of low-energy lamps and also replace old lamp standards – many of which are at risk of failing.
Street lighting makes up 17 per cent of the borough council’s energy costs and carbon emissions – and the annual cost of street lighting energy is continuing to rise at well above the rate of inflation.
Crrent budget for street lighting if £1.3 million but this is expected to rise to £2.4 million within the next
five years and to at least £5 million in 10 years.
Overall condition of the street lamp columns is well beyond its design life. Some 61 per cent are older than 25 years and 36 per cent are more than 40 yers old and need to be replaced within five years.
A joint tendering exercise has been carried out with Blackburn and Darwen borough council to cut costs.
About 20,000 column and lanterns will be replaced in the first three years but there will be no increase in the overall number of lamps.
Energy savings of £200,000 a year from next year and £250,000 from 2016-17 should be achieved and officers are recommending these should be ring-fenced and used to help pay back the required borrowing. The payback will be about £1.75 million for 10 years.
Installation of the equipment will be carried out by Lafarge Tarmac.