Councils get funds to update old traffic lights

Some of a county's oldest traffic lights could be prevented from sudden failure after a successful bid for government cash.

Lancashire County Council has been given a £234,000 grant from the Traffic Signal Obsolescence Fund (TSOF), which is intended to enable out-of-date equipment to be replaced.  

Signals that are more than 20 years old are still in operation at some junctions in the county.

A report presented to cabinet members said the improvements might be delivered in the 2025/26 financial year if all the work could not be completed in the next nine months.

The authority missed out on cash from the Green Light Fund (GLF), a related scheme to make its traffic signals "smarter" by better responding to current traffic conditions and improving the flow of vehicles.

However, Blackpool Council will get £500,000 from the GLF to help to make the town’s traffic lights operate as efficiently as possible, along with £66,000 of TSOF money.

Blackburn with Darwen Council was allocated £555,000 from the TSOF, but will not be receiving anything from the GLF.

Lancashire County Council had previously earmarked £150,000 of its £32.4m highways capital maintenance programme for 2024/25 for traffic signal improvements.

A cabinet meeting was told the TOSF cash would be reserved solely for traffic light upgrades.