Celebrating Two Years of the Suffolk Street Lighting Maintenance Contract
This month marks the second anniversary of our seven (plus three) year Suffolk Street Lighting Maintenance Contract. This milestone reflects the continued success of our partnership with Suffolk County Council in delivering safe, sustainable, and efficient public lighting across the county.
Over the past two years, our teams have worked diligently to enhance Suffolk’s extensive street lighting network, which encompasses 87,000 road lighting assets, by modernising assets, improving reliability, and contributing to the Council’s broader environmental and social objectives.
Delivering Innovation and Efficiency to light up Suffolk
Among the highlights of the past year has been the completion of significant works along the Ipswich Waterfront.
One project was the installation of 25 new low-energy LED lanterns on Albion Wharf between Neptune Marina and Anchor Street apartments. The LED lanterns can be remotely monitored and controlled by Suffolk County Council’s central management system, being dimmed at pre-determined times to maximise energy savings whilst ensuring the right light is in the right place and at the right times. The lights have been installed through the Ipswich Investment Fund, which was granted by Suffolk County Council and is a £2 million pot to support projects across the borough.
Our Suffolk Streetlighting team upgraded the Orwell Quay. Over 9 weeks, our team trenched 236m to install 15 stunning and energy-efficient LED lights to greatly improve the visibility for those enjoying the quay at night. Our works for these schemes, utilises all aspects of McCann, such as our civil engineering and associate works services.
In addition to these schemes, the past year has seen substantial progress on a range of other initiatives. These include the conversion of over 4,030 signs and bollards to LED, the completion of the Strategic Ipswich TRO scheme, and collaborative improvement works along Woodbridge Road to deliver safer crossings near local schools.
Off the back of this contract, our team secured the highways maintenance contract for the Gull Wing Bridge in partnership with Suffolk County Council and Associated British Ports. This is a five-year contract covering highways maintenance, gully cleansing, jetting, pavement repairs, winter services and critical infrastructure support for one of the UK’s most prestigious infrastructure projects.
Our teams have also played a vital enabling role in facilitating the safe movement of abnormal loads, ensuring that critical infrastructure, such as electrical transformers, can be transported through Suffolk efficiently and safely.
Performance and Delivery Excellence
Operational performance remains a cornerstone of the contract’s success. Over the past year, a total of 9,995 faults were raised, with 100% completed within agreed timescales. Monthly service levels consistently meet or exceed targets, and system reliability remains exceptional, with 99.58% of all streetlights operational at any one time. Since January 2025, 533 requests from the general public have been received and 100% responded to on time, underscoring our commitment to responsive and transparent service delivery.
Supporting the community across Suffolk
Beyond the technical delivery of our streetlighting maintenance services, we have continued to make a meaningful contribution to local communities, with over 120 hours of volunteering recorded this year.
Notable initiatives have included the creation of a new play area at Melton Primary School as part of their OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) programme, where our team helped install a new sandpit and sunken trampolines. The school’s Assistant Headteacher commented, “The children are delighted with our newly-created sand pit and sunken trampolines. They are in use every playtime and were commented on at our recent OPAL showcase… They would have been tricky to achieve without the assistance of Clive and his team, so thank you!”
Other community contributions include environmental volunteering at Lackford Lakes with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, participation in local careers events and fairs, donations to the Ipswich Musical Festival, supporting Diss town with the installation of celebratory bunting, and the provision of bleed kits and solar lighting for community spaces. The team has also supported the Suffolk Show by teaching basic first aid to over 200 local children, and continues to invest in workforce development, with six local apprentices currently engaged on the contract and two additional apprentices starting this November.
Commitment to Safety, Skills, and Sustainability
Safety, training, and environmental responsibility continue to be central to our operations. Over the last reporting period, the contract has recorded 24,674 hours without a RIDDOR incident, reflecting the strength of our safety culture and proactive management approach.
Environmental performance has also remained a key focus. The Suffolk-specific Carbon Reduction Plan outlines our roadmap for reducing emissions across the contract. Initiatives such as utilising an electric van for the daily night scouting, the distribution of over 500 trees and seed packs at the Suffolk Show, and the introduction of energy-efficient technologies demonstrate our commitment to sustainability in practice.
Workforce development has advanced considerably, with ongoing training in MEWP operation, G39 compliance, electrical testing, and CAT & Genny to enhance team skills. The first group of apprentices on this contract are nearing the end of their NVQ Level 2 qualifications early next year, further boosting local expertise and industry growth.
Partnership in Action
Councillor Paul West, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Ipswich, Operational Highways and Flooding, commended the achievements at the Ipswich Waterfront, “I am very pleased that we have completed the first project to benefit through our Ipswich Investment Fund. This is an area of town used by many residents and visitors, so it was important that a high standard of street lighting was installed. One recommendation from the joint Policy Development Panel was to identify ways to improve the look and feel of neighbourhoods and the town centre through better street lighting, so I am glad we have been able to do this in such a high-profile area.”
Looking Ahead
As we celebrate two successful years, the Suffolk Street Lighting Maintenance Contract continues to demonstrate the value of partnership, innovation, and local investment. Together with Suffolk County Council, we are delivering a network that is safer, smarter, and more sustainable, lighting the way for communities across Suffolk, today and into the future.
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