THOUSANDS of traditional orange and yellow street lights in York are to be replaced by new LED white lights.

City of York Council says the 6,000 new lanterns will help make people feel safer at night but also make significant carbon, energy and cost savings.

The change will cost £1.265 million.

"The areas that have been chosen use the highest number of inefficient 35watt low pressure sodium lanterns - orange light- as well as 70watt high pressure sodium lanterns -yellow light," said a spokeswoman.

She said the lighting would be reduced by up to 50-60 per cent on streets between midnight and 6am, when traffic flow levels could be described as quiet, and up to 75 per cent after midnight on arterial roads, further reducing environmental impacts and costs, while remaining within current lighting level standards.

She revealed that in January 2014, the council had trialled LED lighting in four residential streets, Hamilton Way, Collingwood Avenue, Stewart Road, and Amberley Street in Holgate.

She said the new lights lasted for up to 100,000 hours, compared with 10,000 hours for fluorescent bulbs and 1,000 hours for incandescent ones.

The cost of the lantern and installation was estimated to be £200 for each in residential areas and £300 in arterial roads, meaning a total cost of between £1.2 million and £1.8 million. The council says there is an anticipated average net energy saving per lantern of £30 each calendar year, equating to £188,000 in total.

"It is also predicted that over the lifetime of the LED lantern there is a routine maintenance saving of £9 each year per unit.," she said. "In addition to this, the new lanterns will make a significant carbon saving per annum of 103 tonnes."

Superintendent Phil Cain, Commander of York Police, said the new lighting would help communities feel safe and be safe, as well as aiding criminal investigations through improved CCTV images.

Cllr Andrew Waller, executive member for the environment at the council, said: “New LED lighting is cheaper, better for the environment and gives a superior quality of illumination which will help residents feel safer and improve the efficiency of the CCTV system during operations and investigations." He said they would also help to reduce light pollution.

The York Environment Forum, said: “This is a positive move towards reducing the city’s carbon emissions and it makes sound economic sense, as well as providing better quality and safer lighting."