New streetlighting design on the way for Laois town

Bright lights are beckoning for a Laois town where only one side of the Main Street currently has streetlights.

Laois County Council are going to do a GPS Survey of Main Street Ballyroan, and then draw up a lighting design.

Cllr Barry Walsh made the formal request for the lighting design, in a motion tabled to the March meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District.

He explained the problem for the growing town, which is 10km from Portlaoise.

"This is one of several issues highlighted to me. The Main Street is quite wide. There are only lights on one side. It's not enough to get to the other side. It would be great to move this on. I hope to get a good result," he said.

In reply, Laois County Council's Roads Design staff say they will liase with Cllr Walsh on the layout and extent of the work planned for Ballyroan.

The council is changing all of the county's yellow public lights to lower energy white LED lights which shine directly down on roads and paths. So far 72% have been changed over, saving €110,000 a year in ESB bills. 

The change however has been criticised by councillors who say the lights are too dim.

They will spend €550,000 for public streetlight electricity bills in 2025, with 9,573 lights in Laois and growing. The figure was provided in the council's €30 million roadworks budget plan for 2025.