BRITAIN’S first ‘smart’ streetlights have been installed in Essex offering the potential to monitor pollution, create Wi-Fi hotspots and even guide driverless vehicles.

Essex Highways is leading the way by installing the new Philips DigiStreet LED streetlights in Market Road, Chelmsford.

The six streetlight trial is likely to result in thousands of the high-tech lights rolling out across the county.

The new lights include an extra “universal sensor” socket built into lamp at the top of the pole.

This will allow attachment of de ices, such as sensors to collect data on air quality, traffic movements and pedestrian numbers. In future, the attachments could potentially offer a number of other features using the power supply from the street light.

Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council, said: “We are taking advantage of new technology to create the potential for Smart Cities, which will use technology to improve the quality of life for our residents. 

“New technology allows us to offer residents more, for less, and supports our ambition to embrace digital to give our residents and businesses the quality of life and work they aspire to.

“If the trial is successful, the options for these ‘smart’ streetlights are almost limitless going forward.”

Over the past two years, Essex Highways engineers have installed more than 10,000 energy-saving LED streetlights across the county.

Essex County Council has committed funding to upgrade another 32,000 streetlights to LED lamps in a bid to save millions of pounds in energy and maintenance costs.