There will be 13,500 new energy-saving LED street lights and up to 500 new columns in Mansfield after councillors gave the go-ahead to extend Nottinghamshire County Council’s street light replacement project.

The energy-saving scheme to replace half of the county’s 94,000 street lights is already saving taxpayers around £1.5m each year in reduced energy bills.

There are 37,500 street lights across the county that have already been converted from old-style, low pressure sodium lights to new, efficient LED lights

Thanks to the new LED lighting installed so far, energy consumption is down 12,000,000kwh — equivalent to £1.5m per year — and carbon emissions have been reduced by 11,000 tonnes. Overall savings since the beginning of the project total more than £5m.

Communities and Place Committee chairman Coun John Cottee said: “The old-style orange lights are becoming inefficient and impossible to repair. LED lighting generates savings in terms of reduced energy bills.

“The LEDs require little maintenance, are generally between 60 to 70 per cent more efficient and have a longer lifespan.

“This work will involve 13,500 lantern and 500 column replacements to improve the overall condition of the county’s lighting stock. Good-quality street lighting is vital to having a excellent, safe highways network, which is a priority for our administration.”