Worn-out streetlights are being taken down and replaced in Trafford to make sure roads and walkways are well-lit and safe this autumn and winter.
Routine safety audits this year found more columns than usual needed replacing – 467 of approximately 7,000 lamp posts tested in the borough – and One Trafford operatives are now hard at work removing and renewing them in a £2m programme set to conclude at the end of the year.
Where old, heritage-style lanterns must be dismantled, carefully-sourced replacements with a similar look are being installed. All newly installed street lights will be LED, helping the Council meet its target of carbon neutrality by 2038.
Staff routinely check the condition of older streetlamps as part of wider work to keep Trafford streets in good, safe condition. This work – already about a third complete – is being scheduled on a priority basis, with significant dark spots actioned first.
Sites of busy junctions, or those near schools, nurseries, nursing homes or other facilities are also taking precedence, as well as places where there has been a history of traffic collisions.
A total of 7% of inspected lamp posts were found to require replacement during this year’s audit – a higher proportion than usual, due to the similar age of some columns that were erected during a busy time for installation in the 1980s.
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said:
“Safety for our communities is our first priority. Worn-out street lamps that have been in service for many years must be removed.
“Our detailed replacement plan focuses on replacing columns where they are most needed first, to keep priority areas well-lit. We thank residents for their patience while we undertake this programme to make sure Trafford has a full complement of bright lighting, in modern and heritage styles to suit their surroundings.”