Funding for LED road lighting conversion accelerated

Urban streets will soon be lined with safer, cheaper, more efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lighting thanks to an accelerated funding model, Transport and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says.

At yesterday's Road Lighting Conference in Auckland, the Minister announced a NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) policy change that will allow local authorities looking at upgrading road lighting to LED to access funding faster.

“The accelerated renewal LED conversion programme will ensure capital is available to all councils that wish to undertake this work in the immediate future,” Mr Bridges says.

In the next three years, NZTA and local government will be able to spend approximately $66 million on converting existing road lighting to LED. In the three years from 2018, current indications are that another $39 million may be spent.

LED lighting will also be the default option for any new roads being built, and the Government’s Roads of National Significance and Accelerated Regional Roads upgrades will all be fitted with LED lighting, where lighting is necessary.

“The whole of life cost of LED lighting is around 20 per cent lower than current lighting, thanks to lower energy usage and lower maintenance costs.

“LED road lighting can also improve urban road safety by making colours and objects clearer to drivers, reduce crime and vandalism, and reduce light pollution because they have less of a light ‘spill’, allowing residents to more easily enjoy our stunning Southern Hemisphere skies.

“Conversion to LED lighting is a smart choice for communities,” Mr Bridges says.

ENDS

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