Street lights in parts of Devon will be dimmed for one year in a bid to save money.
The 12-month trial is to be rolled out in April and involves altering about 80% of the county’s 80,000 street lights, said Devon County Council.
The council said the trial could save about £300,000 per year, on top of its £6m annual saving from previous upgrades, and was estimated to cut down on about 225 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.
It said the trial would take place in Exeter, Abbotskerswell, Holcombe Rogus, Kingskerswell, Sidmouth, Ashburton, Barnstaple, Crediton and Honiton.
County councillors agreed in December to begin the scheme in areas where residential lighting could be remotely adjusted.
The council said Devon’s street lights used about 12 million kWh of electricity in 2023/24, compared to about 31 million kWh in 2015/16.
It said the reduction through LED upgrades, dimming and partial lighting at night had led to an annual saving of £6m.
Residential street lights in Exeter would be dimmed to 40% of output between 21:30 and 00:30, before being switched off until 05:30.
Street lights in market towns would be dimmed to 40% of output between 20:30 and 00:00, before being switched off until 05:30, the council said.
It said residential streetlights in rural areas would be dimmed to 40% of output between 19:00 and 00:00, and switched off until 05:30.
Streetlights would return to 40% of output between 05:30 and 06:30, with no changes to the lights on main roads.
