When reporting a fault to us, it's important that the correct asset is chosen to avoid any delays. Not all streetlights are Council-owned or on the public highway. You can check if the location of the faulty streetlight is adopted highway on the Interactive Map. Adopted highway is shaded in blue.
Please note that MKCC is not responsible for lights on the A5 or M1, you should contact National Highways to report an issue
When selecting the light on the Report It map, any faults already reported to us will be red. You can chose to be updated on the existing enquiry. Please do not select lights next to the faulty one as the engineer will visit these and this may delay repairs.
Types of Fault
Here are some common faults with streetlights to help you log your enquiry with a brief explanation of what may be the cause:
1. Light Not Working (Lamp Out)
The light completely fails to illuminate due to a faulty lamp, failed LED unit, or electrical issue within the lantern.
In most cases, a streetlight engineer can inspect within 14 days to assess the cause and determine what repairs are needed. If the repair is straightforward such as a replacement lantern, we can usually get this done within 14 days.
2. Flickering or Intermittent Lighting
Flickering often indicates an aging lamp, failing LED driver, or an unstable electrical connection. It may also occur due to early‑stage cable deterioration in the underground power supply. Cable issues can cause multiple lights to be out at once due to the way they are all connected. You can read more about Cable Faults here.
3. Multiple Streetlights Out in a Row
When several consecutive lights fail simultaneously, this is usually due to a single underground cable fault. One cable failure can knock out whole sections of lighting, including underpasses that share the same power supply usually from the grid road lights. These faults are complex and time‑consuming to repair. Our Maintenance programme for 26/27 can be found here.
4. Damaged Column or Lantern
Streetlight columns or lanterns can be damaged by vehicle collisions, vandalism, corrosion, or extreme weather.
If the streetlight is leaning dangerously, please call us to report it as this is an emergency. You can call 01908 252353 Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm or the out of hours line is 01908 226699.
Depending on the extent of the damage, we may be able to repair it quickly or it may take longer if the damage extends to the feeder pillar or internal wiring. To save on costs, we may include more complex repairs into a planned programme. If the damage was caused by a vehicle, we will try to reclaim the repair costs from the driver's insurance. This is called a Green Claim.
5. Day‑Burning Lights (Staying On During the Day)
Each streetlight has a sensor which detects daylight levels, when the levels are low the light will come on. Grid road lights come on earlier than those on residential areas and are brighter.
If the light is on all the time, this usually means there is a faulty photocell or sensor. A failed sensor may keep the light on continuously, wasting energy and indicating an internal control issue.
6. Electrical Supply Faults (No Power to Column)
If the feeder pillar or underground supply cable is damaged, the column receives no power.
In Milton Keynes there are different power suppliers to the streetlights but the majority are covered by the National Grid. This is called a Distribution Network Operator (DNO). If there is an issue with the DNO infrastructure, we need to ask National Grid to carry out repairs. This can take longer as they schedule these in around all the works they need to do.
7. Loose or Missing Doors/Exposed Cables
If you see a column door missing or hanging off, please report this as an emergency. You can call 01908 252353 Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm or the out of hours line is 01908 226699.
8. Water In Lantern
Rainwater entering the lantern or column can cause short‑circuits, corrosion, flickering, or total failure. This often requires replacement seals or parts.
9. Belisha Beacons (pedestrian crossings)
Belisha beacons are the flashing amber globes installed at zebra crossings. Some may also have a 'halo' light around them too to provide extra awareness to drivers. If one is not working, damaged, or behaving unusually, it should be reported to us immediately. You can call 01908 252353 Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm or the out of hours line is 01908 226699.
You should also report any issues to us if the button on the crossing is faulty or if the time to cross is too short.
10. Temporary Traffic Lights
Some roadworks may need to use temporary traffic lights to manage traffic around the work site. Any issues with these lights should be reported to the contractor responsible for the site. This should be shown on the information boards at the site or you can also check on One.Network.
If the site is for Council works, call us on 01908 252353 Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm. (Out of hours line is 01908 226699).