Leicester City Council's £14m street light plan

About £14m is to be spent replacing street lights across Leicester.

The city's existing 33,000 sodium lamps will be replaced with a low-energy white light system.

The Labour-run authority, which wants to borrow money to fund the scheme, said it would help meet its target of halving its carbon emissions by 2025.

It also claimed it would cut its energy bill by more than £1m a year and improve security on the streets.

Deputy city mayor councillor Rory Palmer said: "This scheme represents a major contribution to meeting our carbon emissions target and it confirms the council's commitment to making Leicester a low carbon city."

In 2011, the authority had said figures that showed a rise in its carbon footprint were "disappointing".

Lights will be replaced from January 2013 and the work is expected to be completed by March 2016. The work will start in the Evington area.

The council will seek government approval to borrow the £14m needed to finance the system change.

Councillor Sarah Russell, who is responsible for community safety, said the white light would help improve security in the city.