How 60,000 new LED lamp-posts in West Yorkshire could have 'electric vehicle charging points' inside

New lamp-posts could soon bring electric car charging points to residential streets throughout the Bradford district.
Bradford Council recently announced that it was embarking on a 45m project to replace all 60,000 of the districts street lights with LED lighting. Picture: PA.Bradford Council recently announced that it was embarking on a 45m project to replace all 60,000 of the districts street lights with LED lighting. Picture: PA.
Bradford Council recently announced that it was embarking on a 45m project to replace all 60,000 of the districts street lights with LED lighting. Picture: PA.

Bradford Council recently announced that it was embarking on a £45m project to replace all 60,000 of the district’s street lights with LED lighting.

The scheme will also include the replacement of 17,000 street light columns, which are either damaged or nearing the end of their lives.

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At a meeting of the Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee, members were given an update on the programme, which will be paid for by loans.

It is expected to reduce energy costs by 65 per cent, saving around £2 million a year in bills.

Councillor Brendan Stubbs (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) pointed out that street light posts nearest the edge of the roads were often damaged by cars that lose control. He said: “When you are looking to replace all these posts might you consider moving them away from the edge of the kerb so they are less likely to be hit by cars?”

He was told that the Council was considering incorporating electric vehicle charging points into the new posts.

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Alun Preece, principal engineer for street lighting, said: “We may look to consider the implementation of electric vehicle charging points in these columns. We may move these columns closer to the road to make them charging points.”

The committee were told that such facilities would be especially useful in areas of terraced housing, where people were less likely to have off-street parking spaces where they could install electric charging points.

Officers also revealed that new technology in the lights would allow Council officers to turn lighting on and off, or alter its intensity, over the internet.

Councillor Mohammed Amran (Lab, Heaton) said: “This is long overdue, these lights will be much more efficient.”

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Councillor Joanne Dodds (Lab, Great Horton) said: “I really welcome this, the orange lights are awful, and you can really see the difference with the LED lights.”

Members were told that an outside company would be used to replace the tens of thousands of lights over a period of four years.

However the Council would use an “in-house” team to replace the lighting in heritage or “bespoke” lamp-posts, like those found in areas like Holme Wood.

The company that makes the low-pressure sodium lamps that are used in 35,000 of the district’s street lights will cease manufacturing them next year.