STREETLIGHTS in Whitchurch are going eco-friendly as part of a drive by Shropshire Council to help save more than £1 million a year.

The unitary authority has confirmed more than 700 of its streetlights will be converted to LED in April - and some in Whitchurch will be included.

Since 2013, more than a third (7,900) of the council's 20,000+ lights have been converted from conventional ‘sodium discharge’ or mercury lighting to LED lighting.

In Whitchurch, 141 lights will be converted this month.

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Richard Marshall, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and regulatory services, said: “Shropshire Council is responsible for 20,000 streetlights and all are being replaced with LEDs.

“This will save money for the council and for council taxpayers, and reduce carbon emissions.

“Converting our remaining streetlights to LED lighting is something that will save us well over £1 million a year once the conversion programme is complete.

“We’re currently working hard to tackle a backlog of antiquated lighting in need of repair, and the new LED lanterns will help to speed up this process and result in fewer faulty or failed streetlights in future.”

By the end of the year, the remaining streetlights will have been converted.

Work began on February 6, and by Easter approximately 700 lights in Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch had been converted.

Over the course of April, more lights across 66 roads are scheduled for LED conversion across the county.

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It’s estimated that the total cost of the conversion work will be £6.3m. Of this, 44 per cent is being paid through an interest-free loan from Salix Finance.

The new LED lanterns are expected to have a lower failure rate and a much longer life expectancy than standard street lights, significantly reducing ongoing maintenance.

Kier Highways, which is delivering the work on behalf of Shropshire Council, will assess the structural and electrical condition of the streetlight columns as it reaches each area.

Where the columns require additional works this will form part of an upcoming programme of work.

Where are the lights being changes?

  • Whitchurch –  BRIDGEWATER STREET (18)
  • Whitchurch –  LONDON ROAD (15)
  • Whitchurch – WHITCHURCH BUSINESS PARK (9)
  • Whitchurch – NEWPORT ROAD (10)
  • Whitchurch – ALKINGTON ROAD (9)
  • Whitchurch – BROWNLOW STREET (2)
  • Whitchurch – HIGHGATE (5)
  • Whitchurch – ROSEMARY LANE (6)
  • Whitchurch – WAYMILLS INDUSTRIAL ESTATE (25)
  • Whitchurch – MILL STREET (4)
  • Whitchurch – PREES ROAD (13)
  • Whitchurch – SEDGEFORD (9)
  • Whitchurch – SHAKESPEARE WAY (4)
  • Whitchurch – TARPORLEY ROAD (12)