WILTSHIRE Council plans to spend £12m on dimmer lights for its roads.

The council will replace its older street lamps with light emitting diode bulbs.

Highways managers plan to dim the LED lights from 8pm to 6am in the morning. They say the plans will reduce energy use by two-thirds.

The plans, which were approved by Wiltshire Council's cabinet yesterday morning, must now be rubber stamped at full council.

Assuming councillors back the plans, the bulbs could be installed from 2019, with the project lasting two years.

Bridget Wayman, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for highways, said: “Now is the right time to convert our ageing streetlights to modern, flexible LED technology.

“It’s a significant investment but in the long term it will make vital savings and give us a much more reliable system.

“As well as the financial benefits it will also significantly reduce our carbon footprint.”

Last week, the Advertiser reported on plans by Swindon Borough Council to replace all of its 26,000 street lights with LED alternatives. The project will cost £7.2m and could save £750,000 a year.

Highways chief Maureen Penny said: "These lights consume less energy, reduce light pollution and last on average about five times longer than normal low pressure sodium lamps."

Labour backed the move, but group leader Jim Grant added: “It is a shame that it has taken them five years since Labour originally proposed this idea to finally deliver it."