Cornwall’s Bold Move to Cut Carbon Emissions: Streetlights to Dim or Turn Off at Midnight

Cornwall’s latest effort to combat carbon emissions and reduce light pollution is set to roll out, marking a significant step in its green energy campaign.

The council will be turning off or dimming some of its streetlights between midnight and 5 am when most residents are asleep.

Areas Affected by the Changes

The areas included in this phase are Carbis Bay, St Columb Major, St Neot, and Treverbyn Parish. However, essential areas such as town centres with active night-time economies, locations with CCTV, and main roads will either remain lit or have their lighting dimmed instead of being turned off completely.

Residents can check an interactive map on the council’s website to see which streetlights will be affected between midnight and 5 am.

Exceptions to the New Lighting Policy

Certain locations will continue to have streetlights on or dimmed to ensure safety and convenience. These include:

• Traffic signal junctions, pedestrian crossings, subways, some roundabouts, and junctions
• Parts of town centres and footpaths that remain busy during the night
• Roads with traffic calming measures such as speed humps
• Areas monitored by CCTV or police surveillance equipment
• Entrances and exits to hospitals, police, ambulance, and fire stations

Council’s Commitment to Safety and Carbon Reduction

Richard Williams-Pears, the council’s portfolio holder for transport, stated, “So far, 4,918 of the council’s streetlights have been dimmed or turned off. That number will increase to 5,898 in this next phase.” He emphasised that safety remains a priority, noting that the council consulted with the Safer Cornwall Partnership before implementing these changes. Ongoing risk assessments will ensure that safety is not compromised, with lights kept on or dimmed where beneficial.

New LED Streetlights for Energy Efficiency

All council-run streetlights in Cornwall are being replaced with energy-saving LEDs as part of the programme to reduce carbon emissions and electricity consumption. These new LED streetlights, which have a similar colour temperature to previous lamps, will be remotely controlled and monitored. This allows for adjustments to meet the specific needs of local areas using low-power technology.

Community Feedback and Future Plans

Risk assessments and data will be shared with local stakeholders, ensuring that any concerns or requests from parish and town councils are fully considered. This includes decisions to switch streetlights on or off based on local feedback.

The council’s extensive network of streetlights currently accounts for about 30% of its total carbon emissions. The new measures are a crucial step in reducing this impact and promoting a more sustainable future for Cornwall.