The road less travelled

The first part of this analysis reveals a tendency to associate the perceived quality of road lighting with perceived safety – people think they will feel safer in an area that they consider to be well-lit rather than badly-lit or unlit. But, for a person who already feels safe, improved lighting has little benefit. The final part demonstrates, however, that making changes to lighting can lead to a reduced feeling of safety. In other words, if a change is made this does not guarantee a positive outcome for perceived safety. This can leave local authorities in a quandary. A lighting change might be implemented, with the expectation that people will feel safer with better lighting, but a change in lighting, regardless of the type of change, is likely to cause dissatisfaction to some.