Upper Hutt Mayor, Wayne Guppy installs one of the last remaining LED fittings for Upper Hutt City Council to complete its street lighting upgrade.

UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 28 JUN 2018—The LED street light upgrade programme has reached completion in Upper Hutt as Mayor Wayne Guppy ceremoniously installed one of the final LED fittings on Tuesday morning. Upper Hutt is one of the first cities in New Zealand to complete the upgrade which has seen the removal and replacement of some 3,800 streetlight fittings.

The LED upgrade programme began in 2015 and was due for completion around 2025, but additional funding from central government through NZTA saw councils around the country able to expedite their upgrade programmes.

The LED lights provide brighter and more natural light, which improves visibility, safety, and security. They also use up to 65% less power and will cost up to 70% less to maintain. As such, the investment in replacing the incumbent sodium technology will effectively pay for itself within 7 years, with benefits and lower costs to follow for years to come.

“It’s fantastic that we’ve been able to bring our replacement programme forward,” says Mayor Guppy. “Thanks to the partnership with NZTA we’ve improved the brightness of our streets at night, making them safer for all road users. As a Council we’re delighted to be across the finish line and setting an example for counterparts around the country.”

Fulton Hogan and Power Construction & Lighting were contracted to carry out the upgrade in three stages.

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