Street lighting
Case reference FOI2026/01220
Received 28 July 2026
Published 31 July 2026
Request
I would like to request information regarding street lighting maintenance, reports, and replacement timelines within your local authority area. Specifically, please provide answers and data for the following questions for the financial year 2025/6. 1) How many total individual reports or notifications of non-functioning, damaged, or faulty street lights (or bulbs/lanterns requiring replacement) were received by the council? 2) How many of these reports resulted in a complete bulb/lantern replacement versus a full column (post) replacement? 3) What was the average time taken (in calendar days or working days) from the initial report being logged to a field technician attending/replacing a faulty bulb or lantern unit? 4) What was the longest recorded single delay (in days) to repair/replace a reported street light bulb during this period?
Response
I would like to request information regarding street lighting maintenance, reports, and replacement timelines within your local authority area.
Specifically, please provide answers and data for the following questions for the financial year 2025/6.
1) How many total individual reports or notifications of non-functioning, damaged, or faulty street lights (or bulbs/lanterns requiring replacement) were received by the council?
111, of which 35 were incorrectly reported to TWBC and assets owned by KCC, TCHG or Parish Councils.
2) How many of these reports resulted in a complete bulb/lantern replacement versus a full column (post) replacement?
58 lamps / LED upgrades due to outage, 12 column upgrades. The remainder are other works, such as shields, cells, switches.
3) What was the average time taken (in calendar days or working days) from the initial report being logged to a field technician attending/replacing a faulty bulb or lantern unit?
39 calendar days, this is using the date the works were instructed to the contractor and completed on the system, some issues were already known and works instructed when reported.
4) What was the longest recorded single delay (in days) to repair/replace a reported street light bulb during this period?
Of those closed down, 378 days.
Documents
This is Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.