Over 1,000 energy-saving LED streetlights have been installed since Essex County Council began its rollout this summer.

The two-year project to upgrade 19,000 street lights began in August this year and is making good progress. 1,191 LED streetlights have been installed in Essex since August.

Castle Point district has had 307 of its 414 all-night lights upgraded. Rochford district is underway, with 113 lights replaced of a total 429. Work has started in Basildon with 771 LEDs in place.

Uttlesford, Chelmsford and sites along the A127 are next on the list with all-night lights there due to be upgraded by May 2017.

Essex County Council has focused crews on rolling out the LED programme – which stands to save taxpayers £600,000 a year on energy, maintenance and carbon tax costs – as a priority.

Cllr Eddie Johnson, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “I am pleased to report that this project is on schedule.

“The new LED lamps last longer, so they use less electricity and do not need as many expensive repairs

“We have taken a common sense approach to repairing ordinary streetlights on the network in areas where LED lights are soon to be rolled out. Focusing crews on the energy-saving LED rollout programme avoids the risk of wasting taxpayers’ money by replacing bulbs only for them to be replaced with LED lamps weeks later.

“When the 19,000 LEDs are all working correctly, taxpayers will benefit from savings of £600,000-a-year on energy and maintenance costs, as well as carbon taxes.”

The number of broken streetlights across the county rose between June and September from 1,831 in June to 2,782 (2.18 per cent of the overall council-maintained streetlight network).

A large number of these are due to be replaced by LED lights as part of the rollout.