Let there be light across town

The streets of Rochdale are set to benefit from a multi-million pound upgrade of street lighting.

Rochdale Council and project managers at the Impact Partnership have selected a preferred bidder to undertake the work.

55,000 street lights, bollards and signs across Rochdale and Oldham will be updated over the next five years and then maintained for the following 20 years.

Acting Leader of Rochdale Council, Councillor Irene Davidson said: “This is wonderful news, for years we have struggled to keep up with the ageing light system, this project means that we can now go out to the residents of both our boroughs via a full consultation without the worry of where the money will come from to get the job done. Thank you to all officers and councillors involved from both councils. I now look forward to the project starting so the residents of both boroughs get what they deserve, safe, well lit streets.”

Rob Dawson, Impact’s Street Lighting PFI Project Director, said: “The collaboration by the Authorities in this project has not only provided significant commercial interest but has meant that the councils have been able to minimise the cost of the project.

"Within five years the project will result in a safer environment for all local residents within the Boroughs. The next stage of the project will be to ensure that all residents get their say in a consultation of how the work progresses, details will follow soon.”

Work is due to begin in June by the Community Lighting Partnership, a consortium of companies including E.ON UK plc, Pell Frischmann Consultants and Trillium Holdings Ltd.