£24million Programme To Upgrade 64,000 Streetlights Across West Sussex

West Sussex County Council is set to begin a major programme to upgrade around 64,000 streetlights to energy-efficient LED technology, in a significant step towards modernising the county’s lighting infrastructure.

The £24million programme will begin in March and be rolled out over the next four years.

It will also introduce a new Remote Monitoring System (RMS), designed to improve the management of street-lighting performance, enable quicker fault detection and reduce maintenance requirements.

The upgrade forms part of the council’s long-term commitment to cutting energy consumption, lowering carbon emissions and delivering better value for residents.

Councillor Joy Dennis, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said:

“This programme of works will deliver a modern, high-performing and environmentally responsible street-lighting system for West Sussex, reflecting our commitment to protect the environment as outlined in Our Council Plan for a cleaner, greener and more sustainable county.

“By 2028/29, it is expected to reduce annual energy consumption by more than 10.7 million kWh, cut carbon emissions by around 1,633 tonnes of CO₂ and generate significant financial savings.

“I am pleased to see this work moving ahead and look forward to the benefits it will bring to communities across West Sussex.”

During the four-year delivery period, work will move systematically across the county, replacing existing halogen lighting units with LED lights and installing the new monitoring system.

Most installations are expected to take around 15–20 minutes per streetlight and will be largely unobtrusive.

However, traffic management may be required on high-speed roads or in more challenging locations to ensure safety.

Residents can keep up to date with the project via a dedicated website on the West Sussex County Council platform.