Ageing streetlights across Hertfordshire are to be replaced in a £1.5 million programme.

Tests are being carried out on streetlight columns throughout the county, with those that need replacing being cut down and electrical components made safe.

Left-over stumps will be protected to avoid causing a hazard, and a notice will be posted to explain that the column is being replaced.

So far 133 columns have been replaced in the Hertfordshire County Council programme, and a further 275 columns have been cut down and are awaiting replacement.

Other ageing columns will then be tackled within a month of them being identified, with the project expecting to be completed by next summer.

Terry Douris, cabinet member for highways, said: “We appreciate that there will be some inconvenience while this is being carried out, but ensuring the safety of pedestrians and road users is our number one priority. I’m grateful to the public for their patience while we complete this essential work.”