Kent County Council is restoring street lighting to the county's residential areas thanks to investment in LED technology.

In an effort to save money, the council decided to plunge some areas into darkness, turning off certain street lights off overnight from December 2013.

The move was met with widespread criticism, both from householders and Kent Police, which last year said it "could not support" the move.

But now campaigners have won the day - the council is planning to invest £40 million to convert its 120,000 street lights to a centrally controlled LED lighting system - the largest conversion in the country.

It means all night street lighting will return to residential roads, but it may be "dimmed a little" after peak hours, according to the council.

The network will be monitored remotely, and KCC says this will allow engineers to detect faults as soon as they develop, so that they can be repaired quickly.

"Converting our stock of street lights will therefore reduce energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions and reduce our maintenance bill" - Cllr Brazier

David Brazier, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "LED lighting had been prohibitively expensive, but has recently fallen significantly in cost, with manufacturers now guaranteeing their products for up to 20 years.

"The average increase for energy prices this year has been around 11%. These increases will be further exacerbated by a carbon tax – adding considerably to our costs.

"LED lights are significantly more efficient than traditional lights.

"Converting our stock of street lights will therefore reduce energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions and reduce our maintenance bill.

"In addition to saving council taxpayer money, it would also mean a better service for residents and businesses in the county."

The council is paying for the move with an interest-free loan of £22 million, secured with help from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Officers are currently trying to find a way to pay the rest of the bill, possibly using a grant from the European Union.

The county council has already held meetings with installers and manufacturers.

LED stands for light emitting diode, a technology first developed commercially in the 1970s.

They are more efficient compared to conventional bulbs, allowing brighter light for less energy consumption.

A five watt LED typically emits 18 to 22 lumens per watt, while a conventional 60 to 100 watt incandescent bulb emits about 15 lumens per watt, and standard fluorescent lights emit up to 100.