Road lighting and the role of central government

The history of road lighting is briefly traced. Central government did not play an active role until the Departmental Committee of 1935-37. Its influence on subsequent BSI Codes of Practice and its relevance to current international thinking are considered. The role of central government in finance, administration, design and practice is discussed. The paper deals with aspects such as international theory and practice and its relevance to Britain; road surface luminance, uniformity and glare restriction as related to cost; the effect of lighting on night accidents; a comparison of SOX and linear 1.p. sodium sources for motorways and trunk roads, along with the influence of central government on technical standards and hardware. Finally economic aspects are dealt with.