Flanders plans to cut off street light after 11PM

Flemish local authorities revealed to Belgian VRT Radio 2 their plans to save on energy bills. VRT interviewed 134 mayors in Flanders and Brussels and discovered that 123 of them have plans to cut street lighting. Surveyed mayors said that public lighting is the most expensive bill. Swimming pools and care homes also have the highest energy consumption.

According to VRT, network operator Fluvius has already asked all municipalities if they wish to cut street lighting between 11PM and 5AM except on Fridays and Saturdays. Smaller towns consider turning off street lighting between that time frame in order to save between 120,000 and 180,000 euros a year. Deinze (East Flanders) calculates the measure will reduce the bill by around 400,000 euros. Across Flanders the public lighting reduction could save around 50 million euros.

Another solution mentioned by the mayors would be to switch the public infrastructure to LED lighting. A third of Flemish street lighting is already LED. Their bulbs can be regulated remotely and use less energy. Most mayors worry that people will be afraid to take the streets in the darkness.

(VIV)

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© BELGA PHOTO (JASPER JACOBS)