Council focuses on the bright side of the road with eco-friendly lighting

Council focuses on the bright side of the road with eco-friendly lighting

Energy efficient lighting is playing an important role as Somerset County Council works towards its 2030 carbon neutral target.   Work is underway to replace conventional street lighting with LED equipment across key towns. So far nearly 3,000 conventional lights have been replaced in Minehead, Taunton and Street during 2022.   The new lights cut energy consumption by up to 56 per cent, making this a quick and low-cost intervention with immediate effects. Phase two in 2023 will see more communities come online with the Signify energy efficient LED street lighting, which is not only eco-friendly, but actually performs better than traditional lighting.  

Somerset has been on its path to carbon neutrality since 2020, when all five councils signed up to the county’s Climate Emergency Strategy, with a commitment to working towards being carbon neutral by 2030.   Recently skyrocketing energy prices and the need for safer streets for pedestrian and highway users have raised the urgency of replacing outdated technology with alternatives that are long lasting, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.   Councillor Sarah Dyke, Somerset County Council’s Lead Member for Climate Change, said: “Tackling the causes and effects of climate change and working towards carbon neutrality is about taking a wide range of measures across our services to reduce our carbon footprint.   “Whether that’s making our buildings more energy efficient, encouraging our workforce to try active and sustainable travel options or reducing waste and recycling more, every action helps our overall aim.   “Transforming how we light our streets is an essential part of this – not only are the new LED lights more efficient and cost effective, they make our streets brighter and safer and help to cut carbon emissions.”   Simon Greenwood, Sales Director of Signify UK and Ireland said: “Somerset’s LED upgrade demonstrates that lighting is an area where a relatively small change can have an immediate and far-reaching positive impact.   “Combining new and retrofit lighting solutions offers the best of both worlds, giving new life to existing lighting assets and creating major energy savings with low upfront costs and minimal disruption.”  

It’s estimated that the new system has saved Somerset County Council about £157,000 so far, with further savings expected in the next few years.  

Visit Climate Resilient Somerset to find out more about Somerset’s commitment to tackling climate change: Climate Emergency (somerset.gov.uk)

  Keep up-to-date with travel information and major schemes at www.travelsomerset.co.uk, follow @travelsomerset on Facebook and Twitter for updates on roadworks, traffic news and projects.

Other News

Town Council Reception Closure

Reception will be closed from 12.30 pm tomorrow (Tuesday) lunchtime until Wednesday morning, however, urgent emails/telephone calls will be responded to as soon as possible.

Mayors Fabulous Fundraiser for the RNLI

On Tuesday evening, 3rd December, a generous crowd attended the Princess Theatreand Arts Centre for the Mayor of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, Councillor SharonPerry’s, fundraiser event for the RNLI.The evening began with a welcome drink before

Somerset Council’s ‘Help Through Winter’

Somerset households struggling to pay their bills and keep warm during the colder months could be eligible for help with everyday essentials, such as food, water and energy costs. Somerset Council’s ‘Help Through Winter’ campaign

Categories

Categories

Archives

Archives

Newsletter

Have our newsletter delivered direct to your inbox.

Be the first to hear our latest news.

Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge Council Logo

Thank You

Please check your inbox for any email verifications to ensure you complete the signup process.

Records Retention Schedule

Financial Risk Management Policy - March 2023

Grant Application Kings Coronation Form

The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III will take place on Saturday 6th May 2023, with an additional bank holiday on Monday 8th May 2023.

We are keen to hear from groups/organisations in Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge that are looking to celebrate the Coronation. The Town Council has £1500 available to allocate to events being organised to celebrate the Kings Coronation. The maximum grant to be allocated per event will be £500.

You must meet the following criteria for your application to be considered:

– The event will be open to all members of the public

– The event will be free of charge

– The event will take place within the Coronation weekend

– The event will take place within Burnham on Sea or Highbridge

 

Applications will close on Monday 6th March at midday. 

Your organisation and contact details

What happens next....
Applications will be considered at the Finance and Resources Committee Meeting on Monday 13th March 2023. You will be notified after this date whether your application has been successful.
Burnham & Highbridge Town Council takes your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information for the purposes of contacting you about this grant. The Council’s privacy notice can be found here.

We use cookies to help make this site better. Read more about our cookie policy.

Skip to content