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Street lighting is an important element in the design of any public
highway area. It aids safety and security and, if well chosen, can enhance the
appearance and character of an area. The design should satisfy the appropriate
sections of British Standards Institution. BS 5489: 1992: Road Lighting which,
despite its title, covers the lighting of bridges, underpasses, urban centres,
and public amenity areas.
In general terms lighting should reveal all those features of
the road or area that are important to all users, including pedestrians, drivers,
and the police. Road lighting should aim to make the general scene as bright
as
possible and to maximise the contrast between objects and their backgrounds
so that drivers and pedestrians can see and be seen and drivers in particular
can respond and manoeuvre in good time should the need arise. In pedestrianised
areas, lighting should promote easy movement and create a feeling of general
security and well-being.
At night, elderly people and those with mobility difficulties
feel particularly vulnerable. Good lighting in general - and in commercial and
leisure areas in particular - can go a long way to encouraging such people to
venture out and make use of the facilities available. Obstructions, changes
in level and surface texture, all need to be made obvious. The intentions of
vehicles and of people need to be recognised so that it is possible to detect
whether or not these are likely to be friendly, indifferent or aggressive, in
time to make an appropriate response. Care should be taken to avoid dark corners
and in areas where people may become vulnerable more than one lighting unit
should be used so that a failure of one unit will not leave the area in total
darkness.
Subways, footbridges, stairways and ramps should be lit to a higher
level than the surrounding area.
In subways and stairwells, cornice-mounted luminaries are recommended.
These should be in continuous runs with panel infills behind which wiring conduits
can be fixed. Equipment which is robust and capable of withstanding abuse should
be used. To maximise the lighting, all surfaces should have a matt finish and
be as light-coloured as is practical. Good colour rendering light sources such
as fluorescent lamps should be used.
Long or complex subways or stairwells should be lit 24 hours a day with an installation designed to give a high level of luminance during the hours of darkness, reducing in daylight. To overcome the "black hole" effect caused by the relatively low level of interior lighting compared to the brighter surroundings of daylight the entry area of a subway should be provided with additional threshold lighting. At night, the reverse effect takes place and it is necessary to reduce threshold lighting and to increase the luminance levels on the approaches to the subway.
On footbridges and stairways it is important to accentuate the
steps by proper lighting as well as colour and material. Approaches to footbridges
should be well lit and the overall lighting should be designed to provide a
high level of illumination without overspill and glare whilst complementing
the structure.
High pressure sodium or some other whiter light source is preferable
in city or town centres for better colour definition which is aesthetically
better and of benefit to those with impaired vision.
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