Street lighting in Cambridgeshire gets £100m boost
- Published
Inefficient street lights will be replaced throughout the county in the next five years
More than £100m of government funding has been made available to improve street lighting in Cambridgeshire.
The money, provided through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), was allocated to Cambridgeshire County Council by the Department for Transport.
The council now plans to begin a five-year programme to replace inefficient lampposts in the summer.
A council spokesman said that replacement of the county's oldest lights would be prioritised.
The street lighting project includes a further 20-year maintenance and repair programme.
Construction firm Balfour Beatty has been contracted to carry out the installation of 37,600 new lampposts and 4,500 illuminated signs and bollards.
Energy-efficient replacements
Cambridgeshire is one of six local authorities to be allocated money from a £430m pot of government funding.
Local and regional transport minister Norman Baker said: "Good street lighting is vitally important in reducing road accidents, crime and the fear of crime.
"That is why, despite current financial constraints, we have made £100.1m available to Cambridgeshire for this important scheme."
More than 15% of the county's street lights are more than 30 years old and the council plans to install energy-efficient replacements, beginning with the oldest lighting stock.