IS LIGHTING THE PAVEMENT IMPORTANT? (PO89, 1103-1108)

This study explores the perception of streets, walking habits and trip occurrence amongst a sample of 65 participants. 57 participants thought that the pavements of the streets of London are safe, citing developed infrastructure, good maintenance and lighting as reasons for this perception, amongst other factors. 15 participants had tripped after dark, however only three could remember the location and only one blamed inadequate lighting conditions for the trip. Although limited and not representative of the whole population, the findings question the emphasis that current guidelines place on lighting the horizontal surface of the pavement. Further research is required on the effect of lighting conditions on trip occurrence in the older population.