Sheffield City Council this week became the first in the UK to begin a city-wide installation of LED streetlights.
The streetlights feature around 80 white LEDs rather than the single orange lightbulb that most streetlights use today. This produces a much clearer and brighter white light allowing people to make out details much clearer than before.
Sheffield City Council is among several public bodies around the world investing in the technology with key benefits including longer-lasting lightbulbs (up to 25 years), lower energy consumption and the directional bulbs stopping the glare of the lamps escaping into the night sky.
But with the lights costing twice as much as a conventional light, the retrofitting of these systems across cities around the world is controversial at a time when City budgets are being squeezed. As well as the annual energy savings (as much as 85% according to this report on the rise of LEDs and what it means for cities), safety and security is the benefit that is being used to seal the deal with members of the public.
Graham Scragg, street lighting manager at Sheffield City Council explained to the BBC how the technology works and the benefits.
He said: “The lights themselves provide a very white light. So you’ll be able to see the blues and the reds on both ends of the light spectrum. That’s very good for recognition – recognition of the street scene around you. It makes the place feel a brighter, safer place.”
Applications of the technology have been largely aimed at improving road safety. You’ll have seen the impressive results of LED lighting at events such as the night time Singapore Grand Prix.
But the scale of today’s installations is what is most notable – and Sheffield aren’t alone with Birmingham City Council pledging to retrofit 90,000 streetlights and Los Angeles spending over $40 million on upgrading over 140,000 streetlights,
But do they actually deter criminals? Back in 1991, the UK Home Office asked this exact question. Author Malcolm Ramsay wrote that ‘the case for lighting as a means of crime prevention needs to be proven, rather than taken for granted.’
A study mentioned in this analysis found that around half of offenders ‘were not concerned about people passing by, as they set about breaking in.’
The report continued: ‘While the reason given most commonly was that they could simply wait until the people were out of sight, “another argument put forward for not being worried was that passers-by take no notice or, if they do, take no action?”‘
The Wall Street Journal has meanwhile observed puzzling results. In one Missouri city where authorities started replacing lights across the city they saw a 47% reduction in crime. However, another programme of light upgrades in the 1990’s in Chicago saw a significant increase in reported crime.
Regardless, the city continued the programme of light installations as residents ‘felt more comfortable with the lights and continued to want them.’
So the case for LED lighting improving security remains a qualitative one.
As far as I’m concerned, it can’t hurt? With lower energy consumption and less frequent maintenance required the cost benefit in the long-term is self-evident. And any chance of reducing overall crime will also help city authorities save money on policing.
Add in the opportunity to reduce light pollution and see a clearer night sky, and I’m sold.