MORE than half of Bolton’s street lamps have now switched over to new LED lighting.

Replacement work is continuing throughout the borough and almost 15,000 lights in 2,463 streets have been upgraded since the rollout began in April last year.

Approximately 26,000 lights on residential streets and main roads are being replaced with lower carbon LED lanterns.

The street lighting programme is geared towards saving the council £14m over 20 years as well as reducing energy use by around 50 per cent.

The council says it spends £2.1 million on energy bills every year, as well as £100,000 on carbon dioxide emissions.

Bolton Council’s executive cabinet member for Environmental Services, Cllr Nick Peel, said: “I’m really pleased that work is progressing so well. It’s an achievement to reach this milestone and the support and feedback from our residents has been overwhelmingly positive.

“The LED upgrade will ultimately save them money, as we will see significant savings due to reduced energy bills, carbon reduction and lower maintenance costs.”

Teams are currently working in Astley Bridge, Blackrod, Bromley Cross, Halliwell, Horwich, Heaton, Lostock, Little Lever, the town centre, Tonge, Smithills, and Westhoughton.

The next areas to benefit from the new lighting are Great Lever and Daubhill. Work is due to start at the end of next month.

An LED lighting unit can last for up to 100,000 hours, compared to a sodium street light which lasts for around 15,000.

LEDs are also brighter and keep the streets well-lit and safe for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, reducing the chance of accidents and crime. They also improve the quality of images captured at night on CCTV.

The LED lighting is controlled by a wireless Central Management System allowing the lights to be monitored from a central point, which reduces inspection costs and makes it easier to repair faults. This system also enables lighting levels to be varied accordingly.