South Ayrshire Council could look to switch off street lighting to cut costs
Councillors are considering times lights could be dimmed or turned off
South Ayrshire Council is considering introducing part-night street lighting in rural areas as part of budget savings proposals — a move that would place it among a small number of Scottish authorities that have adopted similar policies.
Councillors have been presented with four potential switch-off regimes, ranging from midnight–5am to 10pm–6am, with estimated annual savings between £26,687 and £41,201.
Importantly, these options have not been proposed by councillors, having been presented as options by officials ahead of next week’s budget meeting.
The introduction of LED lighting has made it easier to dim lights rather than switch them off entirely.
But it isn’t the first time that such a move has been mooted in South Ayrshire.
In 2011, the council undertook a trial dimming of lights in Ayr’s Holmston Road.
At the time variable 140 watt metal halide lights replaced 250 watt high pressure sodium lamps.
The new lights were then dimmed between midnight and 6am during winter and between 1am and dawn during summer.
The council learned they would save an average of £3,200 running the new lights on Holmston Road every year, based on the energy prices at the time.
Taking into account inflation, that figure would be around £4,500 in 2026.
While part-night lighting is more widespread in parts of England, several Scottish councils have implemented elements of overnight switch-off or dimming.
Aberdeenshire Council, Highland Council have put in place provision for switching off and dimming of street lighting, although in cases this requires consultation with local members and communities, alongside risk assessments, before any switch-off or dimming is introduced.
Shetland Islands Council also references part-night switch-off in rural and low-population areas as part of its lighting strategy. As with other authorities, such measures are framed around energy efficiency and environmental objectives.
Unlike some English councils that have introduced blanket midnight–6am switch-offs, Scottish authorities tend to embed consultation, exemptions and risk assessment.