Kent could once again enjoy lit streets all night as plans to switch the county to LEDs get underway.

But converting the lamps to LEDs is not light work - the whole process is expected to take 38 months.

More than two years ago Kent County Council decided to start switching off street lights in the small hours in order to save money.

The policy proved unpopular with the majority of residents, as well as Kent Police, who said street lighting is known to reduce crime.

A campaign was launched to get the lights back on, and a petition was started by Tina Booker, of The Warren, Gravesend.

KCC's own findings confirm that most people like all-night lighting.

Of the more than 3,700 responses, 63% said they preferred the lights on all-night, while 37% said they liked part-night lighting at the current level.

Returning to all-night street lighting when the LEDs are installed will be considered next week by Kent County Council members.

Work to convert the county’s 118,000 street lights to LED is due to begin next month and will be completed within 38 months.

KCC say this will save Kent taxpayers up to £5.2 million a year, once installed.

The newly-upgraded lighting will be connected to an individual central management system that will allow the authority to monitor and alter lighting levels in the future.

Matthew Balfour, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said:

“Now we are in a position to both make savings and respond positively to the views expressed in the LED street lighting consultation, we can now recommend that we adopt all night lighting. This could happen once a street light has been converted to LED and is commissioned on to a central management system.

“The CMS technology will allow us to consider requests from the community to alter the pattern of lighting levels."