Street lighting

Who looks after street lights

We look after most street lights on adopted roads in Cheshire East. We are only responsible for the lights that appear on our mapping tool.

Housing associations may look after lighting on or near their property.

Developers look after street lighting on new developments until we have adopted the lighting. Once we have adopted it then we will take over responsibility and it will appear on our report it tool map. You should contact the developer direct to report any issues with their lighting.

Town and parish councils usually look after decorative, architectural or feature lighting and you should report any issues with them to your town or parish council.

We do not look after lighting on private land such as supermarket car parks. You should report any problems with lights on private land to the landowner.

When to report an issue with a street light

We provide street lighting to light public roads and pavements, helping road users see potential hazards. We do not recommend you rely on street lighting to protect you or your property.You should let us know if you spot an issue with a streetlight.

If there is an immediate danger or an emergency you should call during working hours on 0300 123 5020 or outside of working hours on 0300 123 5025

You should call us if:

The lantern is hanging down
The column door is missing or wires are exposed
The column is leaning
The column was hit in a road traffic collision

If the situation is not dangerous, such as a light out or a flickering light then you should report this online using our report it tool below.

If you are unsure who looks after a street light then you should report it to us.

It is helpful if you can give us either the column number as written on the lamp post or a nearby house number or landmark so it can be easily located.

Report a street light issue

After you report a street light issue

After you have reported an issue we will investigate the problem.

When we carry out repairs we give priority to faults that present the greatest risk to safety.

We will attend an emergency situation within 1 working day. We will look at other reported faults within 20 working days. If we are unable to repair the reported issue straight away we will let you know more about the repair work we need to do.

Light intrusion caused by street lights

If street lighting is intruding into your property then you should let us know by logging it through our online report it tool.

We will try to address the issue, but we must also maintain a certain level of lighting onto the highway.

Street light provision, improvements and decorative lights

Street lighting provision

At the moment, we have a policy to not install more street lights within Cheshire East. Any extra lighting installed will be as part of new developments, adjustments to the existing highway and projects funded by other sources.

If you want to move a street light as part of your dropped kerb application you will need to pay the associated costs. Costs start at around £1,500. We are not always able to move the street light and if we reject your request we will contact you to explain why.

If you need an existing street light to be re-located please email CEHStreetLighting@cheshireeasthighways.org with the details of your request.

LED street lighting improvements

We have replaced around 39,000 street lights in Cheshire East since 2015 with light emitting diode (LED) lighting.

LED lights give the following benefits:

• They have a white light. This improves visibility and colour recognition, improving safety for road users.

• They direct light towards the road and pavement instead of in all directions. This reduces light pollution into homes and gardens and makes it easier for drivers to see hazards.

• They are more energy-efficient than conventional street lights. This means they are cheaper to run and have a lower carbon footprint.

• They last longer and are more reliable than other types of lights.

Decorative lights

We will not put up Christmas or other decorative lights. Your town or parish council are usually responsible for these.

Contact us

Report a problem online

If you consider a highways issue to be dangerous, or an emergency, please call us on:

0300 123 5020
(8:30am – 5:00pm)

0300 123 5025
(after 5pm and before 8:30am, including weekends)

Highways
Floor 6
Delamere House
Delamere Street Crewe
Cheshire
CW1 2LL

Page last reviewed: 16 September 2021