LED street lights underreview: DRD

Mr Campbell asked the Minister whether he will liaise with the authorities in Sheffield regarding their replacement of street lighting with LED lighting, which is estimated to result in a 40 percent cost saving, to establish whether a pilot project in Northern Ireland could be considered.

Mr Kennedy revealed that Roads Service has already shown a keen interest in the ongoing development and use of LEDs for street lighting over recent years, through contacts with other roads authorities, professional organisations, manufacturers and contractors.

He stated: “In April of this year, senior officials in Roads Service attended a presentation on LED street lighting by Amey, the contractor who

won Sheffield City Council’s PFI contract for highways maintenance, which includes the renewal and maintenance of street lighting using LED lanterns.

“The use of LEDs for street lighting undoubtedly offers great promise of long life and reduced operational and maintenance costs. However, LED lanterns are still substantially more expensive than conventional options and, despite their lower running costs, payback periods do not make a compelling case for such investment at this time.”

At present low-pressure sodium bulbs, which burn with a yellow glow, are the most prevalent street light in Northern ireland although recent technology improvements mean that in future most new lights will be white.

According to Mr Kennedy, they may one-day be LED as well.

“Roads Service already has a number of modest trials of LED lighting under way, and hopes to expand and learn from such trials and from the experience of other users before proceeding to wider use of LEDs,” he told Mr Campbell.

“I readily acknowledge that LED technology is developing very rapidly, and my Department’s Roads Service will continue to monitor developments in LED technology and seek to adopt the use of LED equipment more widely when the benefits and costs warrant such use.”