Timetable for Nottinghamshire street light dimming

A timetable has been agreed on a scheme to dim or switch off thousands of street lights in Nottinghamshire.

The project, which involves 93,000 lights and is expected to save £1m a year, will start in villages in the Misterton area in December.

It with then be extended to the Bingham area in January and Bassetlaw and Rushcliffe districts by December 2011.

Officials insisted a risk assessment would be done for every light and the most appropriate option used.

Emergency services

Other provisional dates are Newark & Sherwood and Gedling districts by November 2012, then the Mansfield and Broxtowe districts by November 2013 and finally the Ashfield district by March 2014.

Some lights will be dimmed between 2000 and 0700, others dimmed between midnight and 0530 and some switched off entirely - changes which could cut energy use by 25%.

As well as saving money, the scheme will cut carbon emissions and light pollution, the council said.

Officials added many lights will not be altered, including those near hospitals and accident black spots, and they were working closely with the emergency services and will monitor the project to make sure crime and collision rates do not rise.