East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Road Safety & Street Lighting Decarbonisation Project

Overview

Bankswood Infrastructure Group has delivered a landmark road safety and lighting decarbonisation scheme for East Riding of Yorkshire Council, as part of the authority’s involvement in the national Live Labs 2 programme.

This large-scale retrofit combined multiple innovative, high-visibility technologies into one scheme, improving driver safety both day and night while reducing reliance on traditional street lighting. Over a carefully planned six-day installation programme, we fitted more than 820 retro-reflective points across:

• Every traffic island

• All entry and exit points

• Every pedestrian crossing

• The full external circumference of the roundabout

All works were completed without any disruption to the carriageway or drivers. The result is complete, all-round visibility for road users in all conditions.

Purpose of the Project

This initiative is not about completely removing streetlighting from the UK’s road network.

Its specific aim was to install a bespoke retro-reflective guidance system enabling 27 existing streetlights on the roundabout to be switched off, reducing energy consumption and carbon output, while maintaining, and/or improving driver guidance, and safety.

The wider purpose is to:

• Evaluate more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable methods of improving road visibility

• Trial alternative products that deliver equal or greater safety than powered lighting

• Challenge the decades-old habit of automatically installing streetlighting as the primary visibility measure

Instead of relying solely on powered lighting, the project tests evidence-based solutions that can deliver the same or better safety outcomes with lower carbon emissions and reduced operating costs.

Why This Matters

Streetlighting represents a major environmental and financial commitment:

• Around 7.2 million streetlights are in operation across the UK

• Each generates approximately 100 tonnes of CO₂ over its lifetime — totalling 720 million tonnes across the UK road network (excluding private lighting)

• Powering these lights costs around £302 million every year

• In the East Riding trial areas, there are around 600 streetlights

• Just 20 streetlights generate the same carbon output as driving a family car to the moon

Reducing reliance on conventional lighting through smarter, alternative visibility measures offers significant carbon and cost savings without compromising road safety.

Innovative Approach

A standout feature of the scheme was the integration of vibrant colour into the road environment, a feature rarely deployed at scale in the UK. This ensures the scheme delivers clear daytime visual cues alongside high-performance night-time reflectivity, addressing the fact that 80% of road accidents occur during daylight hours.

By combining retro reflectivity with high-contrast colours, the installation delivers clear, intuitive road definition irrespective of the time of day.

Technologies Installed

• KERBEYE – Rubberised kerbing units acting as a prevention device, increasing driver awareness of roadside features and reducing the likelihood of vehicle contact

• REFLECT-IT R-360 Studs – Recessed, 360° reflective studs defining road geometry and enhancing night-time navigation without powered lighting

• R-360 PRO Studs – The same 360° visibility with the addition of vivid daytime colours for continuous 24/7 visual guidance

• VISI-BLOCKS – Retro-reflective block paving units recessed into the footpath using custom-fabricated in-tarmac sleeves, introducing targeted colour into the carriageway for improved safety and wayfinding

Community Engagement

During the works, many local residents stopped to speak with our team, expressing strong support for the scheme and the wider decarbonisation initiative. One resident also captured a series of excellent photographs of the installation, helping to document and share the project within the community.

Part of a National Programme

This project forms part of Live Labs 2, a nationwide programme involving ten highways authorities working to trial and evaluate low-carbon, sustainable alternatives for future highway maintenance.

The findings from projects like this could influence how the UK’s 7.2 million streetlights are managed in the future, reducing emissions, cutting operational costs, and maintaining high safety standards.

Conclusion

Bankswood Infrastructure Group is proud to work with forward-thinking councils and partners to deliver solutions that are:

• Safer – Improving visibility and guidance for drivers in all conditions

• Smarter – Using innovative, evidence-based products and methods

• More sustainable – Reducing carbon impact and operational costs

This East Riding project is setting a new benchmark for UK road safety, infrastructure, and carbon-saving schemes.