§ Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bayasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will encourage the Highways Agency and local authorities to redesign over-lit roads and road junctions and introduce full cut-off lighting to stop light going upwards. [HL3041]
§ The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston)The Highways Agency lights roads in accordance with the British Standard for Road Lighting, BS5489. This provides for sufficient but not excessive light to enable people to use the roads safely. Local authorities also light roads to the British Standard.
The Highways Agency already installs modern low-spillage luminaires when providing new lighting schemes or renewing ones. These reduce the amount of light emitted directly upward.
The Government have published advice on good street lighting practice to reduce sky glow and light pollution generally, as has the Institution of Lighting Engineers.