The impact of city lighting on people’s needs in public spaces

Good public lighting can transform cities at night. It can provide a sense of amenity and with careful planning boost the aesthetic qualities of a city and permit the icons of the city landscape to stand out by night as well as the day. People out after dark have a number of needs that can be met by good lighting. Th ese needs include safe movement, visual orientation and visual comfort Th is paper will demonstrate a number of the key benefits of good lighting in urban areas and provides information on the best use of lighting and shows that good public lighting can more than pay for itself in terms of reduced crime fear of crime and road accidents. Th e Human Factors section discusses the issues associated with the needs of people using the streets at night, this includes the amount of light they require to find their way as well as issues associated with feelings of safety. Th e section on City Image covers the way lighting impacts on the way a city appears after dark and how people perceive the city.