GLOUCESTERSHIRE County Council is looking to save millions of pounds through energy efficient LED street lighting.

At a meeting on Tuesday, cabinet members agreed to begin a competitive tender process for a 12 year, £32million contract covering an LED lighting scheme and the general maintenance of the council’s street lighting, signs and bollards.

Investment in LED street lighting was approved as part of the Council Budget 2014/15 – 2017/18 in February and the modern form of lighting uses less than half the energy of conventional sodium lights.

By making the decision to use more LED street lights now, the council hopes to be able make financial savings of about £17million over the next 25 years.

The benefits also include a reduced impact on the environment by cutting light pollution and will result in a smaller carbon footprint due to the system using less energy.

Councillor Vernon Smith, cabinet member for highways and flood, said: “LED lighting is a modern, energy efficient system with many benefits.

"It will mean we are using less energy and reducing our impact on the environment as well as saving money long term.”

This is part of the council’s plan to meet its carbon reduction target and there are already several thousand LED street lights in operation in the county.