Lights out on M1 will save 1,000 tonnes of CO2

Lighting between Bedford and Milton Keynes on the M1 is to be switched off as a part of a project by the Highways Agency to cut carbon emissions and light pollution

In an extension of the scheme which saw lights between the Luton and Bedford junctions switched off in August 2011, the Highways Agency has confirmed that a further 13-mile stretch of the M1 from junction 13 will be no longer be lit from 4 September.

A change in safety guidance in 2007 means that the lights would not be replaced at the end of their lifetime and by switching them off early the agency estimates it will save 1,094 tonnes of carbon each year as well as help curb light pollution and cut maintenance costs.

“Since 2009 we've switched lighting off between the hours of midnight and 5am on 13 carefully selected stretches of motorways and evidence so far indicates that switching off the lights hasn't had an impact on safety,” confirmed David Gingell, regional director for the East of England at the Highways Agency. “We are confident we can now begin to permanently switch off motorway lights at certain sites.”

So far, the agency has turned lighting off for five hours a night on more than 47 miles of UK motorways including stretches of the M4, M5, M6 and M27, and permanently switched off lights across 36 miles of major roads.