Aberdeenshire Council is set to pilot lower-carbon street lighting, signage and road markings on a stretch of the A952 at Mintlaw, between the East Mains of Pitfour roundabout and the pavilion on North Street.

The package includes highly reflective signs, refreshed road markings and solar-powered road studs, aiming to cut the long-term carbon footprint of constructing and maintaining key highway assets.

Solar-powered studs will be installed on 29 and 30 October, during which North Street to the C4B road will be closed between 9.30am and 4.30pm each day. Formal diversions will be in place via the A952, A90 and A952.

On 30 October, streetlights will be switched off at and on the approaches to the Balring Roundabout and along the A952 southwards to just north of the garden centre access. As this location sits on the edge of the village, after-dark pedestrian activity is minimal, though a pedestrian island and nearby bus stops have been identified and mitigation designed accordingly.

Mitigations include solar-powered studs, passive infrared sensor-controlled lighting at the pedestrian island, and the use of high-performance materials for markings and signs.

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Aberdeenshire is among several councils supporting East Riding of Yorkshire Council in trialling next-generation, low-carbon lighting and visual road technologies through the Live Labs 2 research programme – a three-year, £30 million, UK-wide initiative funded by the Department for Transport. Seven projects, grouped under four inter-connected themes, are being delivered with commercial and academic partners, followed by a five-year monitoring and evaluation period.

Over the past decade the council has invested around £6 million in energy-reduction measures, replacing more than 90% of street-lighting lanterns with low-energy LEDs. While this has reduced electricity consumption by 60%, rising energy prices have increased overall costs. Further cuts can now only be achieved by lighting less – through reduced lighting levels, shorter hours or fewer lit locations.

As a partner in the Decarbonising Street Lighting project, Aberdeenshire will help establish appropriate lighting levels and trial effective mitigations where traditional street lighting is reduced or removed. The full cost of the Mintlaw trial works is covered by an £89,500 project grant.

Driver behaviour will be monitored using AI technology to analyse optical and thermal video streams. Comprehensive risk assessments have been completed by ERYC, with a further safety audit to follow once the lights are switched off.

Councillor Alan Turner, chair of the council's Infrastructure Services Committee, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Live Labs 2 programme to trial this important new technology in our region. The trial at Mintlaw will test alternatives such as new lighting designs, solar studs and improved signing and lining to cut carbon, costs and improve safety. We will rigorously monitor and evaluate throughout the trial and, if successful, we will consider a wider roll-out of improvements in the future.

"We acknowledge that the temporary road closure required to deliver essential improvements will inevitably add time to journeys for some road users. While this disruption is regrettable, it is important that all drivers adhere to the signed diversion routes and drive with care and consideration throughout the closure period. These improvements will deliver long-term benefits for all motorists once the project is complete."