Great progress on public lighting in Mayo converting to LED

EIGHTY per cent of public lighting in Mayo has been converted to LED.

There are 18,000 public lights in the county, and the conversion, which will improve energy efficiency, cut costs and reduce carbon emissions, will cost €5.7 million.

Mayo's climate action plan requires conversion to LED by 2029 and the county is on target to achieve that, the acting head of roads, Peter McLoughlin, told a meeting of Mayo County Council's roads and sustainable travel strategic policy committee.

In Ireland, there are around one million lights across the country and they account for 40 per cent of local authority energy costs, with all in the process of upgrading to LED.

In Mayo, 20 per cent of the lights are based on ESB infrastructure with the remainder council owned.

LED is more concentrated and directed, shining on where it's supposed to light as opposed to light escaping up into the atmosphere. On this, a light pollution policy is being prepared for the county.

It was acknowledged that there has been serious inflation in energy costs in recent years and a lot of the savings have been negated by these increases as a result.

Issues with non-compliant wiring have emerged on some lighting during the retrofit, members were told, and some of the cabling needs to be changed. The cost will have to be looked at nationally.

On specific issues, Councillor Damien Ryan asked for an update on retrofitting the public lighting in Cong village and connecting the local school. It was supposed to happen in 2024, he said, asking when the project might be done.

Committee member Christy Hyland asked that lighting in Westport be looked at in conjunction with the town's CCTV, so there is good lighting where there are cameras.

He also highlighted the need for good lighting at pedestrian and courtesy crossings.

Mr. Hyland also stressed the need to bring lighting at community centres and rural parishes, where people meet, up to LED standard. He was told if they on the register as public lights they will be done.

In Claremorris, Councillor Richard Finn highlighted how a new link road was put around the playing pitches, taking in the race track, mushroom facilities and sports pitches, but no work was ever done on lighting. Ducting was installed but no lights have ever appeared, he said.

* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme