More than 8,800 streetlights across Newport will now remain on between midnight and 6am, after the council completed a major upgrade programme across the city.
Since July last year, Newport City Council has been working through communities to change the timing sensors on thousands of streetlights. The programme followed a decision made by the council’s cabinet in April 2025, after residents raised concerns that switching lights off overnight was affecting how safe they felt in their neighbourhoods.
Before the changes, most streetlights across the city were turned off between midnight and 6am, with the exception of those in the city centre and safety critical areas of the highway network.
The work was completed last week, with the final sensors switched over on lights in Malpas.
Councillor Rhian Howells, cabinet member for assets and infrastructure, said the move was driven directly by feedback from residents.
“When we were setting out our budget and our plans for 2025/26, we had a very clear aim,” said councillor Rhian Howells, cabinet member for assets and infrastructure.
“That aim was to ensure that we prioritised the things that were important to our residents.
“The strength of feeling people had about improved streetlighting was clear. They said that it would make them feel safer, and make their community feel safer.
“We made a promise last April to act on that, and turn our streetlights back on overnight.
“I’m delighted to say that we have delivered on that promise.”
The investment in streetlighting is set to be followed by further spending across the city.
Proposals recently released by cabinet for the 2026/27 budget include plans for more than £40 million of investment in infrastructure and services aimed at benefiting residents and communities across Newport.
