More than 64,000 streetlights across Edinburgh are to be upgraded to LED, saving the City of Edinburgh Council in excess of £54million over a 20 year-year period.

The works are to be carried out by Amey's Edinburgh Street Lighting team .

The upgrading and maintenance programme began in June 2018 and has involved more than 55,000 street lights, approximately 1,600 street lighting column replacements and various auxiliary electrical elements throughout the streets of Edinburgh in Scotland. This street lighting renewal has helped the city reduce CO2 emissions in compliance with SEEP (Scotland's Energy Efficiency Programme).

In addition to installing the most up-to-date LED technology, the team has also installed a dynamic street lighting control management system that allows for centralised, more efficient management of the lighting, reducing the need for people to report faults as these are now being automatically picked up.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: "The upgrade of street lighting across the city will not only save the Council millions, but will also have a real impact on CO2 emissions – since the beginning of the project we've already seen a sustained reduction in electricity consumption and carbon use. When comparing March 2018 to March 2021, energy consumption has dropped 40% as a result and we still have eight months to go."

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"By working collaboratively with Amey, we have been able to progress this ambitious three and a half-year programme of surveying, designing, procuring and installing the upgraded streetlights across the entire city, benefiting communities in every neighbourhood."

Amey's drive for delivering innovative solutions for its clients, has seen the team undertake the upgrade of the lighting system in the local Colinton Tunnel and Trinity Tunnel replacing with LED units achieving 150/149 lux. This renovation of Colinton tunnel has also been the focus for a new mural funded by the community which has now become an Edinburgh landmark.

Nick Powell, Account Director for Amey's Street Lighting business, said: "Working in collaboration with the City of Edinburgh Council has been the key to the success of this contract partnership which started in June 2018. The upgrade programme will have seen the team install over 55,000 LED lights which has delivered £54 million worth of savings over a 20-year period for our client, through reduced maintenance, energy consumption and carbon taxation. Fully immersing ourselves in the communities in which we operate we've also been able to deliver a successful community programme which has seen the team volunteer their time at community days, career fairs, Christmas gift and foodbank collections as well as upgrading a play area for children with both physical and mental disabilities – activities our team are proud to have been involved with."

As part of the Edinburgh Street Lighting Contract contractual commitments to social value were outlined at the tender stage of the contract (target to achieve 720 benefit points). Amey's Streetlighting team have delivered in excess of 1,700 points which have been obtained through a variety of activities – embedding the team in the heart of local communities.

Amey recognises the opportunity to have a positive impact on the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the communities in which it operates and has recently released it's 2020 Social Value Plan which outlines its achievements in this space to date and its ambitions for the years ahead.