Street lighting should be designed to achieve sufficient illumination to enable safe movement by pedestrians and cyclists, reducing opportunities for crime and enabling drivers to see hazards on the street.

Designers should also aim to illuminate the built environment in an attractive way, and to select and position lighting columns so that they enhance rather than detract from the daytime scene. Where street lighting is to be adopted by the Highway Authority it must conform to the council’s specifications and the whole installation should comply with BS 5489 and BS EN 13201 (latest editions) or other standards that may be appropriate.

Lighting of private areas such as parking courts, service areas and private streets may also be deemed necessary in urban areas to discourage car crime and increase the sense of personal safety. In such areas, lighting will have to be maintained by building owners or management companies. Generally, a mounting height of 6m is required.

Means of Support

Lanterns may be mounted on columns and should typically be galvanised to BSEN40, but appearance is enhanced if they are supplied polymer-coated in a dark colour. The addition of decorative rings will create the effect of the old cast-iron column type. Columns should typically be located at the rear of the footway or, in the case of a shared-surface area, at the rear of an adopted recess 1m deep x 1m wide.

Type of Lantern

The type of lantern should be agreed in accordance with the Essex Highways ‘Development Management Street Lighting Specification’. In addition, the Highway Authority is prepared to adopt a range of more attractive lanterns, including post-top types, provided the developer pays a commuted sum to cover extra maintenance, replacement and energy costs.

Particular Locations

Lighting columns should be positioned to illuminate speed-restraint features clearly. Post-top amenity lanterns should be considered for squares, footpaths, cycleways and so on, where they should be accessible by maintenance vehicles. Lighting columns should not be located within 1m of an access point to a private drive.