Stormont budget: Street lights switch-off among cost-saving plans

Every street light in Northern Ireland could be switched off between 1 January 2024 and 31 March 2024 to save money.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has published detailed plans for the move which would save them around £3m in energy payments.

The DfI said that "a complete switch-off of all street lights is the only option" to make big savings.

The detailed plan is revealed in a just-published document on the department's website.

The department has previously warned that it is facing stark financial challenges and a 14% cut in its day-to-day spending budget compared to last year.

It had previously said that the cost of streetlighting has more than quadrupled, due to increased energy prices.

It had also said that reducing public transport and turning streetlights off were measures under consideration to save money.

But DfI has published many more details of how it would implement the streetlight blackout.

A switch-off for part of the night would not be feasible, according to the DfI document, because of new energy tariffs.

The department said that external contractors would have to be employed at a cost of £1.4m to prepare for a complete switch-off.

"It is estimated that the earliest date a complete switch off could be introduced would be the end of December 2023, which would allow savings in energy payments of approximately £4.5m at current prices up until the end of March 2024," the document said.

"This would allow actual savings of £3.1m this year after the cost of implementing the switch off is deducted.

"In order to have the complete network switched off by 1 January 2024, works would need to commence in October 2023 at various locations in each Roads Division and continue until all lights have been decommissioned."

It continued: "A complete switch-off of all street lights is the only option which will allow the department to significantly reduce its energy payments during the current year."

But the document also said the move would have significant drawbacks and provoke public opposition.

"It will also lead to an increase in the fear of crime, which may deter people from travelling or socialising after dark, with a knock-on impact on commercial businesses.," DfI said.

"Road safety will be compromised, particularly for pedestrians and with increased risk at complicated junctions.

"Without street lighting pedestrians are more likely to feel unsafe and not see tripping hazards.

"Similarly, wheeled road users may come upon an obstruction too late to avoid. However it would be expected that drivers would make good judgement in regards to use of their car lights."

The department is now consulting on the plan.