Council’s 'dim' Kettering street lights scrutiny pledge after residents brand LEDs 'pathetic'

Concerned residents who branded bulbs in new street lights as ‘pathetic’ have welcomed a report promising to look into the effectiveness of the LED technology.

A money-saving measure saw North Northamptonshire Council borrow £6.2m to replace the previous streetlights with efficient LEDs.

Works to upgrade more than 44,000 Northamptonshire streetlights to the latest energy-efficient technology started in October last year.

But users of Deeble Road in Kettering say the new dimmer lights leave them scared to walk along the street during the hours of darkness.

Leader of North Northants Council Cllr Jason Smithers, speaking at a recent executive meeting, said: "There is no point having streetlights if they are not bright enough to light up the street in my view."

Cllr Smithers has asked George Candler, the council's executive director of place and economy, to prepare a ‘full report’ on the streetlighting in the area, including the luminance of the lighting.

He said he wants to establish if the lights are fit for purpose.

Resident Oliver Richmond, who was one of those to raise concerns, said: "It is good news the council are taking this seriously.

"Hopefully they will agree the lights are way too dim and agree to make urgent improvements."

Both North and West Northamptonshire Councils have declared a climate emergency and the authorities say they are taking steps to reduce energy consumption.

A two-and-a-half year project will see Balfour Beatty Living Places upgrade the current lights to LED, a move that will reduce CO2 emissions in the county by an estimated 1,091 tonnes of CO2 a year.

The new LED lights were said to be bringing ‘a range of additional benefits’, including ‘white light’, linked to ‘improving community safety’, a reduction in light pollution and greater energy efficiency.

LEDs use about 70 per cent less energy than other types of bulbs.

Back in 2011, cash-strapped Northamptonshire County Council signed a new £230m, 25-year streetlight contract with Balfour Beatty that promised the replacement and upgrade of all streetlights in Northamptonshire. But it now appears the bulbs used were mostly old-style Cosmopolis, SOX and PLL lamps, which are becoming obsolete as more councils switch to LEDs.