PLANS to control Wirral’s street lighting by computer were given the go-ahead by councillors last night.

The cash-saving scheme, which was approved by cabinet, is designed to reduce the borough’s “carbon footprint” by using technology to ensure lamps operate at maximum efficiency.

It is hoped the initiative - known as "Smart lights" -will also help to ensure that light levels are always maintained at “the lowest appropriate to the situation.”

A pilot scheme was launched in 2009 and introduced a trial of “Smart” lighting in the New Brighton area.

And a report to the ruling Labour administration highlighted that the Central Management System (CMS) trial was a success and councillors agreed to consider extending the project across the borough.

A new trial has been authorised which will see the system introduced on some of the borough's busiest trunk roads.

Councillor Harry Smith, cabinet member for streetscene and transport services, said: “We will be making consideration during this scheme for those disadvantaged groups who need high levels of lighting on health and safety grounds.”

Consultation questionnaires were sent out to 730 addresses in the trial area, but there was a poor response with just 59 households returning them.

Of those, only three respondents considered the lighting was not bright enough.

Only 9,500 of the borough's current 37,750 lights are suitable for conversion to the new system.

The report said it would not be possible to connect the old-style orange sodium units to CMS, so the rate at which the network expands will depend upon funding available to renew Wirral's street-lighting stock.

Some local authorities have taken the highly-controversial step of switching off their lights altogether to save cash.

However, this was not considered to be an appropriate course of action for Wirral as it is a predominately urban area.