Transport chiefs in South Yorkshire have completed a new energy-saving scheme to replace the bus shelter lighting systems with much more efficient LED ceiling spotlights in Rotherham.
The move has seen lights replaced in over 2,000 shelters across South Yorkshire and it is hoped that it generate savings of up to £150,000 a year for the company that runs the county's buses - South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE).
In total, the electricity costs to light all of the bus shelters in the county make up one-third of SYPTE's total spending on electricity, the Rotherham Advertiser reports.
This scheme will reduce energy consumption dramatically, with earlier estimates suggesting that as much as 61 per cent will be saved.
LED lighting is a much better energy-saving option for people and companies alike as they have a longer lifespan and thus don't need to be maintained anywhere near as often, as well as the fact that they use less electricity.
It is also hoped that the brighter lighting will help to make the bus shelters look more attractive and thus will be used more often at night.
This scheme has been developed as part of the SYPTE's carbon management plan, which is seeking to reduce the organisation's carbon footprint by as much as 40 per cent in the next three years.
Solar panels have also been installed at the organisation's head office on Broad Street West, which are being used to reduce the amount of electricity used from the National Grid.
Director general of SYPTE David Brown commented: "Reducing carbon is a key target for many organisations over the next few years and we are no different. These new LED lights may individually make a small difference, but installed at thousands of bus stops throughout South Yorkshire they add up to a considerable electricity and financial saving."
