BOLTON Council has slashed its street light energy usage by half thanks to the installation of energy efficient LED street lights.

Research has revealed the council ranks sixth in the UK for the most LED streetlights installed between 2016-2021, with 33,726 put in place - more than 90 per cent of Bolton’s street lights.

LED bulbs can be up to 80 per cent more efficient than conventional bulbs, helping the council to achieve its goal of being carbon neutral by 2030.

Old lighting units - 125 tonnes’ worth - have been fully recycled to make way for the LEDs.

Cllr Stuart Haslam, the borough's highways cabinet member, said:“Over 90 per cent of the borough’s 36,000 street lights now have LED units with the few remaining areas to be updated in the near future. 125 tonnes of old lighting units have been fully recycled.

“In the last 10 years, the council’s energy consumption for street lighting has halved thanks to LEDs. This technology saves thousands on the council’s annual energy bills as prices have increased over time and also greatly reduces our carbon footprint.

“LEDs are brighter and clearer than the traditional street lighting and keep the streets well-lit and safe for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.”

Analysis carried out by The Lighting Superstore revealed all of London’s borough councils combined installed the most LED street lights with 236,115, while Manchester ranked second with 54,625.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne came 10th with 31,017 LED street lights installed in the last five years.