Street Lighting Private Finance Initiative: 2010-2035

Summary

Hampshire County Council has selected Southern Electric Contracting to replace and maintain all street lighting in Hampshire.

The street lighting replacement and upgrading is taking place in the first five years between 2010 and 2015. The remaining 20 years will cover the maintenance and operation of the new equipment. All lighting stock that needs replacing is on a like for like basis with white fluorescent light in residential areas. The new lighting will be more energy efficient, provide improved visibility and reduce light pollution at night.

In Hampshire around 150,000 street lights and illuminated signs and bollards will be replaced or upgraded (approximately half of the columns and lanterns will be replaced).

Not all areas are having lights replaced. Unlit locations will not be affected and areas that have recently installed or upgraded lighting are not part of the scheme. Around 13,000 of Hampshire’s street lights are operated by district, town and parish councils and most of these will be included in the PFI.

Mayflower – which is the remote monitoring system used to dim the lights, is being introduced at the same time. Dimming the street lights remotely enables the light levels to be changed almost instantly from a centrally controlled base.

The scheme aims to save energy and reduce crime, using more energy efficient lamps, reduced burning hours and dimming lights to reduce carbon emissions

Some of the benefits of the project include:

• Investment in the latest technology

• More efficient use of energy

• Improved visibility and reduced light pollution at night

• Safer streets and reduced crime

• Dimming lights by 25% to reduce carbon emissions