LONDON, UK, August 11, 2011 (ENS) - The UK Highways Agency is switching off and removing motorway lighting to reduce carbon emissions and light pollution - and save money.

The agency will permanently shut off and take out motorway lighting on Bedfordshire sections of the M1 motorway, a north–south road in England that connects London to Leeds. This will reduce heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions, by lessening the electricity draw from the power grid.

"Following a careful assessment, analysis shows that the lights can be switched off on stretches of the motorway between junctions 10 (Luton) and 13 (Milton Keynes) without affecting road user safety," the agency said in a statement Wednesday.

The motorway junctions and their approaches, and a section of the M1 on either side of junction 11 at north Luton, will have lighting columns replaced and remain lit.

Junctions which are already lit will remain lit throughout the night, even if the lights on the main carriageway are switched off and columns removed, the agency said.

"We anticipate achieving an annual reduction in carbon emissions on this M1 stretch of about 810 tonnes," estimated Derek Turner, director for the Highways Agency. "Local communities will also benefit from reduced light pollution of the night sky.”

To date, the Highways Agency has switched off lighting at 14 sites on nine motorways across the country for a total of 47.4 miles where lighting is no longer used.

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