02 Nov Cllr Johnson is “keen to help people who are planning festive celebrations”
Streetlights in Essex will be illuminated in the early hours of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day thanks to a festive pledge by Essex County Council.
Cllr Eddie Johnson, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, made the announcement especially early this year to support those planning celebrations.
He said: “I know some may feel it is much too early to contemplate the festive season but I am keen to help people who are planning festive celebrations in advance.
“For the third year in a row we will be keeping all lights on across the county in the early hours of 25 December and 1 January 2017.
“This has proved popular in previous years, and I am confident it will be well received once again by those planning to celebrate into the early hours.”
Part night lighting operates on a majority of streetlights across Essex from 1am and 5am (midnight until 5am on Monday mornings).
Part night lightings saves taxpayers approximately £1.4 million a year. The savings are part of a wider eco-friendly push, which includes the rollout of 19,000 energy-saving LED lights on all-night streetlights across the county which began this summer.
Cllr Johnson added: “I am delighted to see Essex County Council leading the way on innovation and environmental issues by reducing carbon emissions through part night lighting and our LED rollout.”
Essex County Council streetlights remain on in areas where well-established exemption criteria apply.
