RESIDENTS are set to experience darker nights around the Bude area, as Cornwall Council prepare to turn off selected streetlights.

The council has revealed that it will be turning off selected streetlights in Poughill and Stratton between midnight and 5am as of August 4.

Since 2012, the county’s council has been running an initiative to save funds, reduce light pollution, and reduce carbon emissions, by altering the brightness of streetlights across Cornwall. Now, the council is changing the period in which these lights are switched on all together, in order to further these efforts.

A spokesperson for the council said: “To help reduce light pollution some of our lights are turned off part of the night, usually between midnight and 5am. This will help meet the Council's ambition to become Carbon Neutral by 2030. It will also reduce light pollution. For the benefits of reduced light pollution, please see Light Pollution - Buglife.

“We are rolling this out in batches of approximately 1,000 lights at a time and currently have 10,000 switched off. Based on the current approved policy there are 36,000 lights (of 56,000) that will be switched off by the end of the project.

“Council tax will not be reduced as part of this initiative. The streetlighting energy cost per night in 2021 was £5,274 and in 2023 had increased to £9,445 per night. Energy prices remain at the increase rate. The Council must continue to implement changes to make savings both for the environment to meet our carbon commitments and manage budgets. Once the switch-off project is complete the annual saving, based on current energy rates, will be £680,000 per year.”

The initiative has already been launched in Marhamchurch and is now extending its reach. Lights have been selected following safety assessments, including input from local police.