This article relates the history of street lighting in England, and then discusses how to improve present street lighting standards to a satisfactory level. The principal purpose of street lighting is to enable vehicles and pedestrians to proceed along streets easily and safely. Street lighting is still inadequate in London, especially during bad weather. In a typical journey across London after dark, many changes of lighting systems, of different qualities, have to be endured, and street works are often inadequately lit. Headlights are often switched on in what should be well-lit built-up areas. The author proposes the following remedies: (1) the use of lights which allow adequate colour discrimination in the dark; (2) the use of `cut-off' lanterns and side shields to avoid the spread of light above the horizontal and into people's homes; (3) use of adequate control systems to ensure that street lights are switched off during daylight hours; (4) adequate maintenance, including routine inspection of equipment, replacement of worn-out lamps, and cleaning of luminaires. The author suggests permanent exhibitions of both good, state-of-the-art lighting and examples of bad lighting, and advocates a central authority to control and administer lighting.
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