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£8.3m “spend to save” investment
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700 traffic signal sites around city region
upgraded
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1,234 tonnes of CO₂ saved
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Another step closer to Mayor Rotheram's promise of Net
Zero by 2040
A major LED traffic signals project has delivered more than 1,200
tonnes in carbon savings for the Liverpool City Region
The Combined Authority, together with city region local
authorities, has successfully completed a major programme to
retrofit and upgrade traffic signals across the region's roads,
delivering 1,234 tonnes of CO₂ reductions, energy savings,
reduced future maintenance and road safety benefits while
future-proofing critical transport infrastructure.
Completed at the end of last year, the LED Traffic Signals
Upgrade saw around 700 traffic signal sites upgraded from
outdated halogen technology to modern, energy-efficient LED
signals. The programme - a key part of the Liverpool City
Region's Pathway to Net Zero - directly supports the Mayor's
commitment to making the city region carbon neutral by 2035.
Councillor Steve Foulkes, Chair of Liverpool City Region
Transport Committee, said:
“This project shows exactly how tackling the climate
emergency can go hand in hand with making people's lives better.
By upgrading hundreds of traffic signals across our city region,
we're cutting carbon, saving hundreds of thousands of pounds in
energy costs every year, and making our roads safer and more
reliable.
“It's a smart, practical investment that future-proofs vital
infrastructure, delivers real value for taxpayers, and helps us
move faster towards our goal of a net zero Liverpool City Region.
This is the kind of joined-up action we need to see more of as we
build a cleaner, fairer and more sustainable future.”
Designed to modernise aging infrastructure while minimising waste
and maximising value for money, the LED traffic signals retrofit
replaced the individual aspects of the signal heads at a site,
wherever possible, rather than replacing complete heads, reducing
material use and supporting recycling.
Based on the completed works, the project is delivering annual
savings of:
- 1,234 tonnes of CO₂
- 2.28 million kWh of energy
- £684,000 per year in energy costs, based on current
electricity prices
In addition to environmental benefits, the upgrade supports the
Liverpool City Region's Road Safety Strategy – Vision Zero, with
LED signals providing improved visibility through modern lens
technology and significantly reduced failure rates.
The project has recently been shortlisted for an award at the
Decarbonising Transport Awards taking place in London in March.
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Notes to Editors
Under the leadership of Mayor , Liverpool City Region
Combined Authority was the first combined authority in the
country to formally declare a climate emergency in 2019. Since
then, all six local authorities across the city region have
followed suit, taking coordinated action to reduce emissions
while improving everyday services for residents.
Savings exceed original financial forecasts due to rising energy
costs, demonstrating the long-term resilience and economic value
of investing in low-carbon infrastructure.
Longer lamp life means fewer planned and emergency maintenance
visits, reducing disruption for road users and lowering ongoing
maintenance costs for local authorities. Fewer works on live
roads also means reduced congestion and improved reliability
across the network.
The LED Traffic Signals Retrofit demonstrates how large-scale
infrastructure upgrades can deliver environmental, economic and
social benefits simultaneously. By sharing lessons learned across
the city region and beyond, the programme provides a strong
blueprint for other authorities looking to decarbonise transport
while improving safety and efficiency.
Local Authorities involved in the project were:
- Liverpool City Council
- Wirral Borough Council
- Sefton Council
- Knowsley Council
- St Helens Borough Council
