Agenda item

(A report by Richard Hardesty, Senior Project Leader, which provides a progress update on the project up to 26 January 2017)

The Committee received an update of the street lighting transformation project as at 26 January 2017. The project was designed to achieve savings of £1.7m a year following a capital investment of £6.4m. 47,815 lights had been adjusted to date and had delivered over 40% reductions in street lighting electricity usage so far. The project was due to underspend by approximately £650,000 which was, in part, due to value engineering efficiencies by the Kier street lighting crews as part of the Highways Alliance.

Officers stated that of the 12,000 faults reported 2,500 faults were still outstanding at 14 February 2017, 3% of the total. There had been a reduction in the rate of mending non-emergency lighting during the period of transformation and from 1 April 2017 following the completion of the project all faults would be addressed.

Comments by the Committee and responses by officers included:-

·         The effect on crime rates since the project had commenced. Officers stated that a comprehensive report on the effects of the project would be provided for Members twelve months on from the completion of the project. This would allow for seasonal variations in crime/road traffic accidents to be taken in account. Results from those areas nationwide which had followed a similar project had seen a reduction in crime of up to 24% and up to 29% reductions in anti-social behaviour. The Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership's advice was sought where appropriate and officers were not aware of any increase in accidents as a result of the lights being turned off. Officers explained how the LRSP had carried out its examinations.

·         A member stated that Holton le Clay Parish Council had not been consulted about the project. Officers stated that all Parish and Town Councils had been consulted before the start of the project and in the case of Holton le Clay they had been consulted in August 2016. Also, no responses had been received from those Parish Councils which had the A16 running through their area, in relation to proposed switch offs of lights on that route.

·         The final report should include a cost/benefit analysis and made available to the public.

·         Officers stated that street light columns that had been switched off would be left in place rather than remove them. The findings of the "twelve month on" report would be used to inform future removal.

·         Had there been any medical effects following the use of LED lighting. Officers stated that no incidents had been reported. LED lighting was more directionally focused than the traditional sodium lighting but the latter caused more light pollution. Trials on the use of "warm white" LED lighting were being examined in Lincoln with the prospect of its introduction countywide as part of normal asset replacement but this was a long term project. In the meantime, any broken lighting, beyond economical repair, was considered for replacement by LED lighting and LED lighting was being installed on new developments.

·         The public wanted an assurance that street lights would be repaired as quickly as possible. Officers stated that the project had been very intensive with the need to visit 58,000 lights in one year. Some local authorities nationwide had allowed a longer time to complete their transformation projects. It was the Council's policy that the transformation project should be completed before any repairs took place. The project was due to complete during March at which all street lighting crews would focus on fault repairs. Normal street lighting fault response times (10 working days) would be reinstated from April 2017.

·         Officers explained the criteria to deal with requests for lights to be kept on.

RESOLVED

That the report, the comments made by the Committee and the responses of officers, be noted.