A record £225m will be spent on improving street lighting
The streets of Hampshire, West Sussex and Southampton are set to benefit from a record £225m in private finance initiative (PFI) investment.
The biggest streetlighting PFI ever allows Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council and West Sussex County Council to upgrade 165,000 streetlights over the next 25 years.
The next stage in the process is for the Councils to select a potential partner. When this is complete, work could start in 2009 in each area.
Transport minister Rosie Winterton said: "Experience shows that better streetlighting helps improve road safety, as well as reducing crime and the fear of crime.
"It is also helps create happier and healthier local communities by promoting social inclusion and more sustainable patterns of transport by encouraging people to cycle and walk.
"I am very pleased that Hampshire, Southampton and West Sussex are using PFI arrangements to deliver real benefits to motorists, pedestrians and all road users alike."
