PUBLIC LIGHTING - THE DEADLY RECKONING

The author discusses the consequences of attempting to reduce council expenditure by reducing public lighting. The increased accident rate during the winter of 1973-1974 when 50 per cent of lighting was switched off has made most public authorities realise that public lighting is one of their most important public amenities. Methods of saving costs employed by some councils are discussed; these include longer lamp replacement and painting cycles and the replacement of tungsten lamps with low-pressure sodium. The relationship between after-dark road accidents and street lighting is examined. Evidence from the report by the Greater London Council and casualty figures by the Department of the Environment are given. The author suggests that it is irresponsible for a local council to switch off lighting causing extra crime and accidents. It is significant that the government has not included public lighting in its energy conservation measures. The London borough of bromley restored normal lighting after observing an increase of accidents following a reduction in street lighting.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00410683
• Corporate Authors:

  Printerhall Limited

  29 Newmart Street
  London W1P 3PE,   England 
• Authors:
  • Austin, B R
• Publication Date: 1976-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 262-263
• Serial:
  • Traffic Engineering & Control
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Hemming Group, Limited
  • ISSN: 0041-0683
  • Serial URL: http://www.tecmagazine.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conservation; Correlation analysis; Crash rates; Energy; Local government agencies; Luminance; Maintenance; Sodium vapor lamps; Street lighting; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Sodium lamps
• ITRD Terms: 1612: Accident rate; 6527: Correlation (math, stat); 9009: Decrease; 545: Lighting (street); 192: Local authority; 525: Luminance; 3847: Maintenance; 8119: United Kingdom; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Energy; Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00147939
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: ANALYTIC
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: May 11 1977 12:00AM