Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has become the first council in England to secure finance from the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) to replace its existing streetlights with lower energy alternatives.

GIB has agreed to provide funding of £8.2m, alongside a grant of £5.1m from the Department for Transport (DfT), as part of a £13.5m programme of refurbishments. The project will see 14,000 lanterns and some 4,000 other pieces of illuminated street furniture replaced with energy-saving LED alternatives.

The deal also covers the renewal of ageing street lighting columns and the installation of a central management system (CMS) to allow the council to remotely manage its lanterns across the borough. The CMS will also improve monitoring and metering.

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The lights are expected to use at least 55% less energy than existing lights and will cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 16,500 tonnes during their lifetime.

Ed Northam, Head of Investment Banking at the Green Investment Bank, said: "We're delighted to have helped Southend-on-Sea Borough Council accelerate its streetlighting refit programme and hope that the agreement encourages its peer organisations to consider initiating similar strategies."

Councillor Martin Terry, Executive Member for Public Protection, Waste & Transport at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, added: "Bringing this popular project forward is a win-win situation. The sooner we replace every lamp in the Borough, the sooner we can save money, reduce carbon emissions and provide residents and motorists with brighter, cleaner light.

"Unlike many other authorities in the country, this council was determined not to plunge our borough into darkness as a means of making much-needed savings. Instead we listened to the voice of local residents and opted to invest in green technology as a means of saving money in the longer term.

"We've chose a pioneering solution that shields residents from increased fear of crime and poorer road safety that are often associated with turning the streetlights out."

(LM/JP)