WORK to fit more efficient LED street lights across Otley and Yeadon is to begin early in the new year.

Leeds City Council’s four year LED conversion programme began - in the Rothwell and Chapel Allerton areas - in October, 2019 and is now being rolled out ward by ward. The scheme has been split into two phases with the first stage involving the upgrading of street lights on main traffic routes along with the conversion of some older lights on residential streets.

The council has confirmed that phase one works in the Otley and Yeadon ward are due to start on Monday, January 11, 2021 with the authority’s operating sub-contractor, SSE Enterprise, set to complete them within about three weeks.

Local Councillors Sandy Lay, Colin Campbell and Ryk Downes (all Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) have welcomed the news. Cllr Lay said: “For the last five or six years the Liberal Democrats in Leeds have been pushing the council to replace the old sodium street lights with LEDs.

“These are cheaper to run and better for the environment. The council has finally accepted the benefits of this technology and started on a replacement programme with works in Otley and Yeadon due to begin in the new year.”

Cllr Campbell said: “LED technology brings many environmental benefits. LED bulbs are cheaper to run, easier to maintain, last longer and can be better directed to light pavements and roads, reducing the effects of light pollution.”

Cllr Downes, meanwhile, said residents should prepare for a little temporary inconvenience: “The work will mostly involve replacing the light unit at the top of the columns.

“This will involve some short term inconvenience because the vehicles involved will be parked on the highway.

“In one or two cases whole columns may have to be replaced.

“We are asking everyone to be patient, in the long term everyone will see the benefits of better lighting.”

Some 24,968 lights, in total, will be converted during the first phase of the Leeds-wide scheme which is expected to be completed by September, 2021. The second phase will begin in July, 2021 and involve the conversion off about 59,078 lights on residential streets in each ward.

That phase is due to be completed by October, 2023.