National Highways is working on a huge programme to convert streetlights to LED with the aim of reaching 70% by 2027.
The national road authority is aiming to reach net zero for its corporate emissions by 2030 and is making strong progress already although there is no clear ringfenced funding for the LED initiative after 2027.
There are around 105,000 lights across the strategic road network, of which 26% are already LED. In February 2022, National Highways started a five-year £132m programme to retrofit around replacing over 50,000 lights, around half of the overall total.
Work last year included surveys of the government-owned company’s lighting asset, ‘understanding what the programme could look like’ and developing schemes.
Last month work began to retrofit lighting on the A5036 in North West England. National Highways said that while LED switchover has happened on an ad hoc basis over the years, this marks the start of a dedicated multi-million-pound investment specifically under the net zero plan.
A spokesperson told Highways that what happens after the current specific and dedicated programme ‘will be a question’ for the next (2025-2030) Road Investment Strategy, adding that other lights will be replaced on an ad hoc basis, as well as conversions on major projects.
National Highways says road lighting makes up around half of its corporate carbon emissions.
The firm said that ‘typically’ using LEDs could mean up to 65% less energy depending on the wattage of the existing lamps replaced. However, a spokesperson stressed that this percentage represented the maximum saving.
The company’s net zero plan aims to cut emissions by 12% by 2030 through conversion to LEDs.
Steve Elderkin, director of environmental sustainability for National Highways, said: ‘We are delighted to be modernising the lighting across our network by investing over £100m into clearer, more efficient technology.
‘These new LED lights will not only reduce our emissions and ensure that journeys are safer, but also reduce the amount of maintenance needed across the network.’
