Leeds Green Street wins £50,000 energy saving competition

A street which slashed its energy bills by more than a third has been crowned one of Britain’s greenest roads.  Green Lane, in Cookridge, north west Leeds, won a £50,000 windfall for cutting consumption by 35% in a challenge experts hope could eventually help homes across the country save an average of £200 each year.

Overall, the 64 families which took part in the British Gas Green Streets programme slashed energy use and carbon emissions by a quarter.

Over the past 12 months, eight families on eight roads, all with “Green” in their address, followed simple instructions – such as not leaving televisions on standby and taking showers instead of baths – in a bid to reduce consumption. They were also given a budget of £30,000 per street to spend on energy efficiency measures.

Paul Atkinson, who lives at number 78 on the winning street with his wife Karen and two children, said he was “astonished” after cutting £1,000 off his annual electricity and gas bill.

The other participants were Greenend Road, Chiswick, west London; Green Street, Middleton, Greater Manchester; Green Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham; Green Lane, Southampton; Colinton Mains Green, Edinburgh; Green Park Road, Plymouth; and Greenway Road, Cardiff.

Further Information

British Gas: Green Streets Website