THE go-ahead has been given to turn off street lights across West Somerset as part of a pilot scheme designed to save money and cut carbon emissions.

Lights in Monksilver, Dulverton, Winsford, Brushford, Exton, Brompton Regis and Exford will be either dimmed, turned off or removed altogether in a cost-saving exercise spearheaded by Somerset County Council.

The council's cabinet member with responsibility for highways, Cllr Harvey Siggs, gave the green light for the pilot this week and cleared the way for the seven additional phases to be implemented over the next three years.

The scheme was first revealed in the Free Press last year and the county council said it anticipated saving £123,000 in energy costs and £8,300 in carbon tax payments, plus additional lighting budget savings each year.

The authority has secured £575,000 in grants and put in an additional £200,000 of its own money to convert street lights in rural areas to automatically switch off between midnight and 5.30am to save money and cut carbon emissions.

LED technology will also be installed in remaining street lights when they were due for replacement, as well as in all new developments.

Cllr Siggs said: "The advances in lighting technology and the funding available are making this a worthwhile exercise in improving Somerset's night skies and reducing the council's energy costs.

"There will be consultation everywhere it is proposed to turn off street lamps and I'm sure people in Somerset will welcome the choice of how their streets are lit and the opportunity to contribute to cash savings and darker skies."

Fourteen parish councils expressed an interest to take part in the first phase and will now carry out consultation with local residents.

It is proposed to turn off street lights between midnight and 5.30am during the trial.

The council said Avon and Somerset Constabulary had not raised concerns about crime or safety in the areas earmarked for the pilot.

Half of the areas are on Exmoor, which was the first place in Europe to be designated as an official Dark Sky Reserve.

The council said future phases would give villages with only one or two street lights the option to have the lights removed altogether when they were due for replacement.

In all, the authority estimates it will save £753,527 through the part night lighting scheme over the next three years - which will also see lights dimmed at the Cotford St Luke and Cross Keys roundabouts on the A358 between Williton and Taunton.

The council said it would not turn off the lights completely on any A or B class roads or where safety was an overriding factor.

Equally, lights could only be altered providing there were no objections from parish and county councillors and members of the emergency services.

The county council is responsible for around 45,000 street lights and 8,000 illuminated signs, which cost an estimated £2 million a year to run.

The other villages in Somerset signed up to the pilot scheme are Leigh on Mendip, Burrowbridge, Churchstanton, Tatworth and Forton, Keinton Mandeville, Axbridge and South Petherton.