It is being put forward as an ecologically sound cost-saving programme as Estradas de Portugal SA plans to switch off much of the country's road lighting in an attempt to save on a €1 million annual electricity bill.
The cash-strapped company manages 14,500 kilometers of roads in Portugal and is to reduce the number of hours the road lights are on. Lights will be turned off all night on sections of road which the company deems have insufficient traffic volume.
Other sections will have alternative lights switched off "where it is totally unnecessary to keep them on due to the characteristics of the road itself."
High efficiency light bulbs are to be installed and the company is to enhance the "quality of reflective road signs and road markings especially at tricky junctions.”
According to the struggling company these measures fall within the government objectives to increase levels of energy efficiency and it management aims to reduce the company electricity bill by an achievable 20% by 2020.
In response to safety concerns the company says that the measures it is imposing "take into consideration the safety of road users."
Before deciding to turn the lights off on certain roads, the company produced a safety study that showed that "80% of accidents occur during daytime and that accidents that occur in the hours of darkness resulted only in minor injuries."
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