Recurring concern

Inadequate and unreliable public-road street lighting

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First reported 24 Feb 2014•Latest report 1 Dec 2025

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes deficiencies in the provision, functioning, inspection, maintenance, repair or unobstructed performance of street lighting serving public roads, crossings, junctions, bus stops or comparable roadside pedestrian areas.

Not included

  • Excludes warning signs, traffic signs, crossings, barriers, speed limits and other road-safety controls unless the assertion specifically concerns street-lighting performance.
  • Excludes lighting systems unrelated to public roads, such as prison, residential, workplace or fire-detection lighting.
  • Excludes generic visibility, road-design or environmental hazards that do not identify a deficiency in the street-lighting system.
Reports
34

Distinct published reports

Individual concerns
38

A report can raise multiple concerns

Date range
2014–2025

First to latest report issue date

Stated actions
28

Described in published responses

Reports over time

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

National Highways8
Recipient name withheld3
Warwickshire County Council3
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council2
Bradford City Council2
Cumbria County Council2
Department for Transport2
Durham County Council2
Essex Highways2
Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council2
Amey plc1
Balfour Beatty A50 DBFO route management1
Essex County Council1
Family of Gurkirat Singh1
Hertfordshire County Council1

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire

    AI-generated summary

    Harold Gordon Henshall · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Harold Gordon Henshall, an elderly man with limited mobility, was struck by a vehicle while crossing Church Street, Leek, on 17 February 2013. He suffered multiple injuries, was admitted to hospital, and died on 27 March 2013. Concerns were raised that street lighting and crossing facilities near St Edwards Church were inadequate, particularly for predominantly elderly church users.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Inadequate street lighting near St Edwards Church

    Wider context from the report

    “a) That the level of street lighting on Church Street, Leek in the vicinity of St Edwards Church is inadequate generally and particularly on the nearside of the Macclesfield bound carriageway. Evidence at the inquest from local residents familiar with the location and police evidence suggested that the street lighting was poor and patchy, thus increasing the risk to pedestrians who choose to cross the nearby car park upon leaving church. It is particularly relevant to church users who are predominantly elderly. ”

    Source location

    Harold Gordon Henshall · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report

  2. Warwickshire

    AI-generated summary

    Sean Andrew Morley · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Sean Andrew Morley was struck and killed by a motor vehicle while crossing the A444 Bedworth By-pass on foot between 3am and 4am on 2 September 2012. The report raised concerns that the road was regularly used by pedestrians and cyclists despite having no warning signs, street lighting, barriers, or other protective features, and that these conditions created a risk of further fatal collisions.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of street lighting on the road

    Wider context from the report

    “(1) I heard evidence that the stretch of the A444 where Sean died is regularly used by pedestrians and cyclists, who walk or ride on the grass verge at the side of the carriageway or on the edge of the carriageway itself. (2) Since Sean’s death, there has been a further incident on the same stretch of road where a pedestrian was struck by a car. Fortunately, the injuries were not fatal. (3) There are no signs warning pedestrians or cyclists of the dangers of using the road. There are no street lights. The speed limit on the road is 70mph. There is no barrier or other protective features between the vehicular traffic and pedestrians. (4) These factors strongly suggest that there is a risk of further fatal collisions between vehicles and other road users. ”

    Source location

    Sean Andrew Morley · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Carry out a feasibility study for a separated footpath between Walsingham Drive and Sutherland Drive, including costs, benefits, speed limits and lighting.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “4. Evidence was also given that proposals to introduce a footpath to enable pedestrians to walk between Walsingham Drive and Sutherland Drive, separated from the fast moving traffic would need to be properly investigated through a feasibility study. A feasibility study is to be carried out by consultants on behalf of the County Council and the level of footfall provided by the CCTV survey will feed into this study, giving a clear understanding of the level of usage such a facility would attract. This study will consider the cost and benefit of the introduction of a footpath, given the limitations of the road safety budget. Included in the study will be the speed limit for the road and other factors such as street lighting etc. The feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of September 2014.”

    Source location

    Response from Warwickshire County Council
    Page 1 · response
    Published 24 March 2014

    Open published response

  3. North Northumberland

    AI-generated summary

    Samuel Eric Shaw · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Samuel Eric Shaw, aged 70, died after being struck by a southbound ambulance while crossing the A1 at Haggerston on 29 October 2013. Concerns included the absence of warning signs and a central pedestrian refuge, poor lighting, and the need for pedestrians to cross both lanes of a 60 mph road from the bus stop to Haggerston.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Inadequate lighting and visibility at the pedestrian crossing

    Wider context from the report

    “At Haggerston Holiday Park, adjoining the east side of the A1 trunk road there are hundreds of caravans located and several hundreds of people come to stay and visit regularly. Access from public transport is by buses which also stop at various towns and villages along the A1 Trunk road. The road is the main strategic highway route between Scotland and England. The speed limit at Haggerston is 60 miles per hour and those travelling north on buses have to set down on the west side and cross both lanes of the A1 Trunk road traffic, through an unlit area to reach Haggerston. The visibility of pedestrians on the road for drivers travelling at up to 60 mph is restricted because of the need to use dipped headlights. There is no warning sign for motorists travelling south to alert drivers of pedestrians crossing the road. There is no central refuge for pedestrians crossing the road at the crossing point. ”

    Source location

    Samuel Eric Shaw · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Existing lighting and signing meet current standards, so no immediate action is required.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “I have concluded that the lighting and signing provision meets current standards and therefore no immediate action is required to address your concerns.”

    Source location

    Response from Highways Agency
    Page 3 · response
    Published 26 February 2014

    Open published response

  4. Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

    AI-generated summary

    Mark Andrew Burgess · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Mark Andrew Burgess died after losing control of his vehicle on the M65 while under the influence of alcohol and probably using a mobile phone, colliding with the nearside vehicle restraint system and sustaining fatal injuries. The report raised concerns that the road lighting had been decommissioned and was not operating during hours of darkness, leaving debris and damaged vehicles difficult to see and contributing to further collisions in which up to eleven other people were injured.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure of the road lighting system to operate during hours of darkness

    Wider context from the report

    “I received a report from ████████ a Road Safety Engineer employed by Balfour Beatty Mott MacDonald, on behalf of the Highways Agency. That report confirmed that the current road lighting system for that section of the M65 Motorway was not operating during the hours of darkness, having been decommissioned in March 2011, as part of a “full lighting switch-off” process. The collision involving Mr Burgess left debris in the carriageway, including an engine block which had become detached from his vehicle. I heard evidence from four witnesses, each of whom were unable to see the debris in the unlit carriageway, such that over a period of several minutes four other vehicles then collided with debris and/or accident damaged vehicles. In addition to Mr Burgess who was killed there were up to eleven other people who received varying degrees of injuries. The evidence I received was that in the absence of any street lighting and in the absence of any ambient light, including moonlight, and once vehicles had sustained sufficient damage such that no lights were operating, drivers were unable to avoid further collisions. ”

    Source location

    Mark Andrew Burgess · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
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Data last updated 7 September 2026