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According to a national newspaper, a number of council across the UK are turning down the road lighting in order to save money. The Daily Telegraph claims that one in 10 street lights are gradually darkened overnight or stopped entirely in an attempt to cut energy costs. Numerous local authorities are getting their public spending budgets cut in an effort to decrease the country’s financial obligations and as a result, the councils are now seeking ways to cut costs.

Cllr Peter Box, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Economy and Transport Board, states that at times of tough financial pressure, councils should look for options to cut costs and save taxpayers’ money but without putting the public in danger. He promises that by doing this, it doesn’t affect frontline providers like fixing potholes, child protection and collecting bins. And if councils dimmed their own pendant lighting and bathroom wall lighting in buildings, they would be able to reduce costs even more.

It is stated that if UK authorities turn off a mere 9% of their LED lighting they can save a massive £21.5 million per year but the techniques implemented to reduce the street lighting is actually costing five times more than saving and is a staggering £106.3 million, so at first it will be more expensive to save. The pricey schemes comprise of dimming technology being put in along with switching lights to part-night operations; nevertheless some councils won’t be able to envision a return on investment or gain any rewards for almost a decade. But if councils can cut costs, you could too with their garden lighting and bathroom lighting.

Breakdown cover company AA has distributed a warning about the proposition, declaring that considerations need to be considered as well lit areas are usually suggested as a preventative crime measure. But the head of road safety, Andrew Howard, has said that the dimming of wall lighting and street lights for part of the night is a far better choice than getting rid of them altogether. Councils have been advised by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety that they need to monitor traffic in the areas and have a clear reason for dimming or switching off the outdoor lighting.

The amount of councils across the UK thinking about the plan is increasing as well as the amount of homeowners with their garden lights or kitchen lighting. Bedford Borough Council is running a trial of turning off 83-lights between the hours of for 5 hours a night to help save £383 a year. And Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council has stated it expects to dim 4,500-lights between 10pm and 6am for one year too. In addition, Derbyshire County Council has expressed a desire to get included and switching off lights between midnight and 5:30am to help save £400,000 a year; and Leeds City Council is also preparing to switch off 8,000 lights during the period of three years. Furthermore, Warwickshire County Council has said it will start to turn off 80% of its 48,500 street lights at the beginning of next year.

Nonetheless, many authorities in cities have made the decision not to become immersed in the scheme with Birmingham, Manchester and the majority of London boroughs not changing off their tiffany lighting. Denbighshire Council in Wales has said that the payback period is too much and Croydon Council argue that they made the decision never to dim the street lights.

Just like the councils, you can conserve money on the energy bills too by dimming the chandeliers and wall lights. Try and turn the bathroom lights and kitchen lights off when not being used to be eco-friendly and encourage the children to respect how costly modern lighting rates can be. Many bathroom spotlights can now be purchased that are low energy rated.