Street lights

Street lighting helps people feel safe and helps to reduce car crashes and crime.

In Kent, there are around:

• 120,000 street lights
• 14,000 lighted signs
• 5,500 bollards.

We own and look after most of the street lights in Kent. Parish, district and town councils own and look after others.

If we own them, they will have a code on the side of the column, such as 'ABCD123', which we use to identify the light. Some are part of new developments, and we are not responsible for them. Some may be privately owned.

Faulty street lights

If you see a faulty street light, please report it to us by calling 08458 247 800 or use the online fault reporting form.

It is helpful if you can give us as much information as possible, we need:

• the code on the side of the column or the number of the house the light is outside
• the name of the road
• the name of the town or village
• what is wrong with the light.

The more information we have when the fault is reported, the quicker we can identify the correct course of action and repair the light.

The two main reasons street lights stop working are faulty equipment in the street light, such as a bulb failing or problems with the electricity supply.

We visit a faulty street light within 10 working days and try to fix the problem immediately if we have the replacement part. If repairs cannot be carried out on the first visit, further parts are ordered and the work is programmed to be completed as soon as possible.

If there is a problem with the electricity supply to the light, we will need to inform the electricity supplier, so it will take more time to sort out the problem.

When are the street lights on?

There are no specific hours for the lights to be on. A photo-electric cell, something that measures the level of light, is used to make sure street lights come on when it starts getting dark and go off when it gets light.

Due to rising energy costs, we are considering reducing the amount of electricity used by street lights by:

• shutting off certain lights for the whole night
• shutting off certain lights for part of the night
• dimming certain lights in the early hours.

When considering any changes, we will always consider community and road safety and consult with the emergency services.

What can I do about a street light outside my house shining into my windows?

Street lights are designed to light the highway, including the footway. Modern lights are designed to put light where it is needed.

However, on occasions, the light intended for the footway may shine on surrounding properties.

If a street light is causing you problems, you should talk to us. Making a simple adjustment to the setting may solve the problem. If this does not work, we can try other things. For example, we can fit a screen or shield to blank out part of the light. If however there has been no recent changes to the light carried out by us on the street light, there will be a charge for a shield.

Sometimes it is not possible to completely get rid of the problem, as this may prevent the street light from being effective; we may need to find a compromise.