By reducing energy consumption, the proposal, which is being considered by Peterborough City Council, would be a major boost to the city's green credentials.

Although existing lights can not be dimmed, technological advances mean that street lights built on Peterborough's future housing estates and along roads could be.

That would then give the council the option to reduce the brightness of the lights in a move that would also cut the authority's annual £500,000 street lighting bill.

Confirming that the council is "considering" a proposal to introduce dimming, cabinet member for environment and community safety Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald said: "Street light dimming is now possible for some street lighting equipped with modern technology, but it is not something we have in place yet.

"It is being considered as one possible measure to help manage and reduce our energy consumption in the future.

"For example, it would allow lighting to be dimmed through the early hours of the morning when traffic flow is reduced with little or no risk to road safety.

"It is right that as our aim is to be an environment capital and with the growth planned for the future that we consider any option available to help reduce our energy consumption and our carbon footprint.

"Some measures may not eventually be right for Peterborough, but we should look at all possibilities. Dimming is not something that could be used on all roads and is still not available for the larger lights where the benefit would be greater."

Cllr Fitzgerald said the council's "duty of care" meant that only lights on parkways would be dimmed, with lights in residential areas remaining on full beam.

He said that a current policy of switching off two out of three lights on some city parkways had no adverse affect on the safety of motorists.

Despite that, switching off all the lights in the early hours of the morning, a policy pursued by other local authorities, is not being considered in Peterborough, Cllr Fitzgerald said.

If street light dimming is introduced, it would provide another lift for Peterborough's aspirations to be recognised as the UK's environment capital.

Peterborough already hosts the largest cluster of environmental businesses in the country and Peterborough Environment City Trust launched a Get a Green Grip Peterborough campaign earlier this year.

And work on what would be the UK's second Carbon Challenge eco-friendly estate, due to be built on the former Elliott Group factory site in Glebe Road, New Fletton, could start next year.

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