MORE than 400 streetlights are set to be switched off in Bude as a Cornwall Council scheme comes to the town.

Last year it was revealed that some streetlights in North Cornwall would be turned off or dimmed during the night in an effort to save money by Cornwall Council. Now, six months later, Bude’s lights are being turned off too.

Since 2012, the council has been running an initiative to save funds by altering the brightness of streetlights across Cornwall. Now, the body is changing the period in which these lights are switched on all together.

With the next phase impacting areas of Bude from January 26, the town will see fewer lights switched on during the night, as more than 400 streetlights have been included within the initiative.

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.”