A major scheme to replace lighting columns along one of Mansfield’s busiest roads begins next week (Monday, September 28).

Street lighting is being renewed along St Peter’s Way from its junction with Portland Street, right through to its junction with Bath Lane.

The existing lighting columns are coming to the end of their operational life and are being replaced as part of the County Council’s street lighting capital replacement programme.

The scheme involves installing 53 new lamp columns, along with the associated electric cabling. The cabling needs to be brought up to current standards and this will necessitate the digging of approximately 2,080m of trenching.

Much of the work will be carried out overnight to minimise any disruption to traffic.

The scheme will also see the installation of LED lighting along St Peter’s Way for the first time.

Compared to traditional street lighting, LED offers a whiter, brighter light which is more directional and, once installed, is estimated to reduce street light energy consumption by between 30-40%. LEDs also have a longer life-span – around 25 years — which has the added benefit of lower on-going maintenance costs

In 2013 the County Council approved plans to install the energy efficient LED lights and dim high-powered lanterns in street lights across the county, leading to an estimated saving of £700,000 by 2016/17

The Council spends £4.2m each year of energy for street lighting (including road signs, bollards and traffic signals), this makes up 15% of the total highways revenue budget.