The five Slough areas where street lighting will dim

Rochfords Gardens and Goodman Estates, Maplin Park, in Colnbrook, part of Cippenham Green, and the northern part of Britwell will be less bright than usual when British Summer Time begins.

Slough Borough Council explained those five areas were chosen because they are discrete residential areas, not affected by any overspill lighting from the M4, and do not include shopping areas, major road junctions, and public transport hubs, which need to be assessed separately.

While the lighting will not be turned off, the council is experimenting with the brightness by dimming the lights in order to save money on its electricity bill.

Rochfords Garden and Goodman Park estates (Image: Slough Borough Council)

Maplin Park (Image: Slough Borough Council)

The local authority needs to make about £20m annual savings each year this decade in order to reduce its £760m borrowing debt.

In Slough, 13,000 streetlights run at 70 per cent of their total power. In this trial, which runs in two phases, nearly 950 streetlights in the chosen areas will be changed to a variety of levels to see the effects.

READ MORE: Slough Council looks to dim streetlights to cut energy costs

Parks in the trial areas will not be affected with the lights remaining at their current levels.

Phase one of the trial will run from February 13 to March 25. There will then be phase two from March 26 onwards.

Colnbrook (Image: Slough Borough Council)

Cippenham Green (Image: Slough Borough Council)

Britwell (Image: Slough Borough Council)

Cllr Mohammed Nazir (Lab: Baylis & Stoke), lead member for the local environment, said: “We all know our use of electricity – created in the main from fossil fuels – has a detrimental impact on the environment locally, nationally and globally.

“And with electricity being more expensive than ever before and energy bills being a major part of the cost of living crisis this trial is very important.

“By just dimming lights in some areas during the trial it is expected to knock tens of thousands of pounds off the borough’s electricity bill so think about how much could be saved if the trials are successful.

READ MORE: Slough street light dimming plans meet public outcry

“At no point will we be switching off any of the borough’s streetlights and lights in parks, shopping areas and transport hubs will not change.

“Of course, we will be monitoring the areas very closely, engaging with the emergency services to ensure there is no detrimental impact on their work – in particular the police around any difference in levels of crime and antisocial behaviour.

“And residents are welcome to tell us their experiences of having slightly dimmer lights – if they notice any difference at all.”