The Vale of Glamorgan Council has recently started the installation of solar-powered bollards on its traffic islands as part of ongoing measures to reduce energy consumption.
The energy-efficient bollards, which have been approved by the Welsh Assembly Government, do not require conventional electricity supplies and therefore cut the costs of installation and future maintenance works.
The initiative is one of several highway lighting related measures being implemented by the authority in relation to energy consumption and carbon reduction measures.
Once installed, the bollards consume zero electricity which not only decreases energy costs but also, from an environmental perspective, reduces the Vale’s annual CO2 emissions by 2.5 tonnes.
Thirty of these bollards have already been installed and there are plans to install more in the future. The installation causes minimum inconvenience to drivers, as no major digging of the highway is required.
Cllr Geoff Cox, cabinet member for visible and building services, said: “These bollards, along with other initiatives, demonstrate the council’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and are a step in the right direction in tackling the problem of ever–increasing energy prices.”
