STREET lighting in Cheshire West and Chester is having a technological and environmentally-friendly makeover.

More than 24,000 street lights will be upgraded during a programme of work scheduled to be completed by September 2018.

Street lighting in residential areas is being changed from sodium lamps to more energy efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lights across the borough.

The programme began in Winsford and Northwich, and is set to move into Chester and Ellesmere Port.

The schedule is based on the age of the current lamps, which are usually replaced on a cyclical programme every three years.

Councillor Karen Shore said: “The key objective of our LED replacement programme is to reduce carbon emissions and make savings on energy consumption costs.

“It is hoped the new LED lights will achieve savings of around 40 per cent on our energy consumption.

“Also most current lamps in the borough have a guaranteed life of three years. The LED technology we are using has manufacturers’ warranties for 12 years, and could last as long as 20 years.”

“After your street lights are upgraded, you may notice they are a different colour - a white light rather than orange light - which allows colours to be more easily identified during the night time.

“You may also notice that the light is now focused downwards rather than spilling into surrounding gardens or driveways.”

The council has about 50,000 street lights in total, and this scheme will replace lighting units in residential areas. It is estimated the programme will cost about £5.1million.