The results of street lighting trials will be considered at City of York Council's Executive Member and Advisory Panel (EMAP) for City Strategy on 8 September.

The trials have been carried out as part of the council's sustainable street lighting strategy, which was approved by the Council's executive on 23 October 2007. They have been designed to test whether varying the amount of light emitted by street lights, resulting in energy savings, would influence public perceptions about their well being and ability to see properly, and also whether these variations might lead to increases in criminal activity.

The trials were carried out at two sites - Museum Street and Rawcliffe Park & Ride site - over a six week period between 25 March and 2 May this year

During the trials new technology was used which enabled the council to remotely alter the level of light emitted by the street lights. This then enabled officers to assess whether the costs and energy saving benefits associated with variations in street lighting levels could be balanced against any concerns among residents over the impact of new lighting levels.

During the six week period, the Council undertook 100 on-street interviews with residents in Museum Street, asking a series of questions about the five lights in the trial. A self-completion survey was also available at the Central Library.

At the Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride site 12 interviews were undertaken with talkabout panellists.

The results of the trials showed that 85% of respondents did not notice any differences in lighting levels. 11% thought the lights looked different from usual, six per cent thought they looked brighter and five per cent thought they looked dimmer.

Only two of the 15 respondents who filled out the self-completion survey noticed any difference in the streetlights.

Crime analysis reports for both trial areas were set up with the Safer York Partnership prior to the start of the trials to assess if the lighting trials may have had a negative impact on crime levels. No crimes were reported during the hours of darkness during the trial period.
The positive results of the trials suggest that there is scope to consider further use of variable lighting in line with Executive recommendations in the sustainable lighting strategy. These recommendations require officers to consult further with Ward Councillors and community groups on the options for modernising the street and public building lighting systems in use in the City and bring forward costed proposals for establishing an optimised system which both reduces the environmental impact (and running costs of the lighting) and improves public perceptions of safety standards.

The report proposes that officers investigate the possibility of suitable variable lighting schemes and that reports in support of specific schemes be approved.