CHANGES to street lighting in Hastings will save hundreds of thousands of pounds and reduce the area’s ‘carbon footprint’.
East Sussex County Council will begin a programme of converting around 5,500 of the borough’s old style yellow and orange street lights to energy-saving white LED lights in the spring.
The move, part of the council’s drive to reduce its energy budget by £885,000 over the next three years, will save £130,000 a year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 800 tonnes.
It follows a similar programme in Eastbourne which is due for completion in March, and a switch to part night lighting in other areas of East Sussex.
The changes will be introduced to the public in an event at Priory Meadow Shopping Centre on Saturday, February 1 from 9am to 5pm, to be followed by a series of public events as each area of Hastings is converted.
Cllr Carl Maynard, East Sussex County Council lead member for transport and environment, said: “While these changes will enable us to achieve the savings we need to make from our budget, they will also have long-term benefits to Hastings and the county as a whole.
“Recent advances in technology mean the performance of LED lights has improved and their cost has reduced, and switching to this type of lantern means our street lighting will be more efficient, both financially and in terms of our CO2 emissions.
“The changeover will mean Hastings benefits from better quality lighting and will also cut down on long-term maintenance costs and reduce light pollution.
“We would encourage people to come along to the event on February 1 and to subsequent local events, which will give us the chance to explain the changes to residents and answer any questions they might have.”
The council has already saved around £340,000 a year and reduced its CO2 consumption by 2,000 tonnes from the street lighting changes in Eastbourne and other parts of the county.
More details on the changeover, which is expected to take around a year, are available online at www.eastsussex.gov.uk/streetlights, by visiting Hastings Library, in Claremont, or by calling 01273 337162.