Shedding light on passenger modal choice: Examining the relationship between public lighting and nocturnal mobility

Lighting is an essential aspect of our daily lives, but artificial lighting has received criticism for its negative impact on the environment, wildlife, and health of people . Adequate lighting is crucial for creating a safe environment (in terms of road safety, criminality and feeling of safety), especially when using soft modes of transport like walking or cycling at night. Poor lighting, on the other hand, can make people feel unsafe and uncomfortable, potentially deterring them from using these modes.

Our research offers three contributions. Firstly, it identifies the required characteristics of public lighting for safe and acceptable nocturnal mobility. Secondly, it investigates how the night affects modal choices. Thirdly, it assesses citizens' willingness to accept reduced public lighting and how the energy crisis has impacted their judgement.

To gain insights into the mobility patterns of the population in the Walloon region, we conducted two surveys using Qualtrics. The target population for both surveys was individuals aged 16 and above living in the Walloon region. The first survey was administered online from February 16th to March 29th, 2022, resulting in a total of 677 complete responses. The second survey was also administered online from 1st October to 15th November 2022, resulting in 807 complete responses. The collected dataset was analysed using RStudio, and population weights were applied based on three demographic criteria (gender, age, and province) to ensure that the sample was representative of the Walloon population.

The findings of this study highlight the importance of public lighting in nocturnal mobility and provide insights into the factors influencing citizens' modal choices and acceptable levels of lighting reductions. Citizens are willing to accept reductions in public lighting levels during the night, which could contribute to reducing light pollution and energy consumption. The study also reveals a positive correlation between the energy crisis and citizens' willingness to accept reductions in public lighting levels, highlighting the importance of implementing energy-efficient public lighting systems.

Further research could examine the impact of public lighting on the health of citizens, potential emerging technologies such as smart lighting systems and autonomous vehicles, and the impact of reduced lighting on nocturnal wildlife, light pollution, and carbon emissions.