Recent grant funding has enabled more upgrades to traffic signal infrastructure across Nottingham than originally anticipated.
As a result, the council is requesting an additional £4.5 million to continue maintaining and improving the network, bringing the total estimated investment to £9.5 million.
More of Nottingham’s traffic signals are set to be improved with LED and Extra Low Voltage (ELV) equipment, including upgrades to two junctions and four pedestrian crossings. The council is also introducing adaptive traffic signal control at both junctions to improve efficiency. This will reduce waiting times and lower carbon emissions, as vehicles will spend less time idling under the new system.
As part of the work completed so far, the council has upgraded Nottingham’s traffic signals with energy-efficient LED lights, replacing older halogen lamps, using £631,000 in funding from the Government’s Department for Transport. The council used this funding to improve reliability and reduce faults, providing a safer experience for motorists as well as longer-term maintenance savings. Across the city, 100 sites have been fitted with new equipment to date. Approximately 95% of the council’s pedestrian lamps are now LED, compared to the national average of 88%.
The main advantage of LEDs over halogen lamps is that they generate the same light output while using considerably less energy. The council’s traffic signal carbon emissions are down 19.1% compared to this time last year. Halogen lamps last for approximately 1,000–2,000 hours, whereas LED lamps have a much longer lifespan and can last up to 80,000 hours, representing a significant upgrade. Due to the longer lifespan of LEDs, there has been a significant reduction in lamp failures, helping to ensure visibility for motorists approaching signals. Replacing the lights with LEDs has also provided cost savings due to the reduced energy required. The council’s energy usage has fallen from 140,000 kWh in March 2025 to 115,000 kWh by the end of March 2026.
Councillor Linda Woodings, Executive Member for Regional Development, Growth and Transport at Nottingham City Council, said: “Ensuring our traffic lights and infrastructure are upgraded and functioning effectively will help keep our city moving and make Nottingham’s roads safer for everyone. These improvements will also have a positive impact on our environment and local air quality by reducing congestion and requiring less energy to operate.”
