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Road lighting density and brightness linked with increased cycling rates after-dark

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Listed:
  • Uttley, Jim
  • Fotios, Steve
  • Lovelace, Robin

Abstract

Cycling has a range of benefits as is recognised by national and international policies aiming to increase cycling rates. Darkness acts as a barrier to people cycling, with fewer people cycling after-dark when seasonal and time-of-day factors are accounted for. This paper explores whether road lighting can reduce the negative impact of darkness on cycling rates. Changes in cycling rates between daylight and after-dark were quantified for 48 locations in Birmingham, United Kingdom, by calculating an odds ratio. These odds ratios were compared against two measures of road lighting at each location: 1) Density of road lighting lanterns; 2) Relative brightness as estimated from night-time aerial images. Locations with no road lighting showed a significantly greater reduction in cycling after-dark compared with locations that had some lighting. A nonlinear relationship was found between relative brightness at a location at night and the reduction in cyclists after-dark. Small initial increases in brightness resulted in large reductions in the difference between cyclist numbers in daylight and after-dark, but this effect reached a plateau as brightness increased. These results suggest only a minimal amount of lighting may be sufficient to promote cycling after-dark.

Suggested Citation

  • Uttley, Jim & Fotios, Steve & Lovelace, Robin, 2020. "Road lighting density and brightness linked with increased cycling rates after-dark," OSF Preprints cms3d, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:osfxxx:cms3d
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/cms3d
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lovelace, R. & Beck, S.B.M. & Watson, M. & Wild, A., 2011. "Assessing the energy implications of replacing car trips with bicycle trips in Sheffield, UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 2075-2087, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Steve A. Fotios & Chloe J. Robbins & Stephen Farrall, 2021. "The Effect of Lighting on Crime Counts," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-14, July.

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