Old street lights to be replaced in money saving bid
A multi-million pound plan to switch street lights for LED replacements will be considered by council bosses next month.
The plan, which councillors have previously said will save money and energy, will go before Walsall Council’s cabinet on February 12.
Councillor Adrian Andrew has said pilot projects have taken place in the past, in which small areas of around 2,000 lights have been fitted in the borough.
The borough could be lit with LED lights within a couple of years, according to Councillor Andrew.
If approved, the new lights will be controlled by someone elsewhere in the country which will save money and energy, according to council leader Mike Bird.
He added: "Some two or three years ago we did a trial in Bloxwich and there was a control to switch off or reduce lighting when necessary.
"The idea is we can modify it and save money for the council and reduce energy costs.
"It is an invest to save.
"We will have to start a programme of how to change the lights and a plan will be presented to cabinet next month."
The news comes after it was revealed last month that a fifth of Walsall's local roads are crumbling and urgent work is required to stop others deteriorating rapidly.
A report to Walsall Council’s cabinet said 20 per cent of unclassified roads in the borough are in a poor condition and in need of major repair, with a further 35 per cent in need of minor work.
And highways officers expect the number in need of major work to more than double to 45 per cent by 2028 unless the council increases its spending on the network by hundreds of thousands of pounds each year.
