Roads minister in Northern Ireland Danny Kennedy is being urged to consider the use of LED outdoor lights on street illuminations in place of the current local sodium lights in use.
DUP MLA Gregory Campbell said Mr Kennedy should consider using the lighting as it has resulted in a 40 per cent saving on electricity in Sheffield since the city overhauled its street lights to improve security.
Mr Campbell asked the minister whether he would speak with the authorities behind this plan in Sheffield to see how similar plans in this area could be carried out, the Londonderry Sentinel reports.
The roads minister has already revealed that the Roads Service has shown a keen interest in the ongoing development and use of LEDs for street lighting over the last few years through contacts with other road authorities and contractors.
He said that in April this year, senior officials in Roads Service attended a presentation on LED street lighting by the contractor that won Sheffield City Council's contract.
Mr Kennedy added that he would have to be convinced of full payback costs after the initial outlay before he could advocate the change.
"The use of LEDs for street lighting undoubtedly offers great promise of long life and reduced operational and maintenance costs," he continued.
"I readily acknowledge that LED technology is developing very rapidly and my department's Road Service will continue to monitor developments in LED technology and seek to adopt the use of LED equipment more widely when the benefits and costs warrant such use."
Last month Sheffield became the first city in the UK to begin a city-wide installation of LED streetlights.
All 68,000 of the city's streetlights have been replaced with white LED illuminations and it is hoped this will provide great savings in the coming years.
