Frenchgate Tunnel Retrofit Delivers Major Energy Savings

Written by kirsty

TRT Lighting has delivered an LED retrofit solution for the Frenchgate Tunnel in Doncaster, cutting energy use by nearly 75% while extending the life of existing infrastructure.

Located beneath Trafford Way as part of the Frenchgate Interchange, the tunnel had been operating with ageing high pressure sodium and fluorescent lighting that was becoming increasingly difficult and costly to maintain. Rather than replacing the luminaires entirely, TRT developed a purpose-designed retrofit system in partnership with principal contractor P. Ducker Systems Ltd, swapping out the original lamp gear assemblies while keeping the existing housings in place.

The plug-and-play retrofit trays feature dedicated thermal management for the enclosed tunnel environment and integrate DALI drivers for modern lighting control. This approach significantly reduced material waste, installation complexity and project costs compared with a full replacement scheme.

The completed installation is expected to reduce annual energy consumption from approximately 658,000 kWh to 168,000 kWh, with estimated CO₂ emissions falling from 153 tonnes to 39 tonnes per year, alongside projected annual savings of more than £53,000.

Read the full case study here.