Brighten Up Brighton & Hove - bike light campaign
We encourage cyclists and pedestrians to make themselves more visible when out and about in the city.
Brighten Up Brighton & Hove took place the week before the clocks went back in October.
Whenever visibility is poor road users need to be aware of each other and clearly visible to minimse their risk. Bus drivers in a recent survey highlighted cyclist visiblity as one of their top road safety concerns. We also do some joint events focussed on this in the New Year, where resources permit.
Why?
To remind all road users to be visible for each other and look out for each other. Thus minimise road casualties in the city.
How?
We take part in joint awareness and enforcement operations at key areas of the city, as well as the railway stations where possible.
The science
Even fairly colourful clothing will appear grey at dusk and in darkness. This is because the colour light receptors in your eyes 'called cones' do not work in low light. Instead, in low light the eye gets most information from black and white receptors 'called rods'. Everything is then a complex mix of grey shades and does not stand out in street clutter. Research, though mixed in terms of recommendations - would indicate that highlighting parts of the body which move is most effective. In a similar manner flashing lights in a city environment has been indicated by some research to be more effective at getting driver awareness.
Compared to 2009 more cyclists used lights in 2011, but that was only 40% at commute time. In the main phase of the 2013 campaign, 75% of cyclists had lights in the comparable period surveyed. Most recenlty in the 2019 campaign over 80% of riders - at evening commute time - had lights. Bike helmet and hi-vis use had also increased.
Cyclists - please avoid a £30 fixed penalty fine (or worse) and use appropriate lights when needed. You remain one of the city's road casualty reduction priorities and we all have our part to play. Drivers/pedestrians - look out for cyclists.
The nearside of vehicles, particularly HGVs and buses is a risky place for cyclists, when not in a cycle lane. Drivers - check carefully when turning, and for cyclists, please do not undertake, especially near junctions, Make sure you can be seen. If you are an HGV/PCV driver or operator we are now running the Safer Urban Driving CPC module, under licence from TfL with a local driver training organisation called LDT. Please contact transport.projects@brighton-hove.gov.uk for further information.
