5.1 Lighting specification

5.1.1 General

This section sets out the performance requirements, equipment specification and control procedures that apply to the design of road lighting, associated cable networks and control systems for any street lighting system being constructed or installed that is intended to be adopted and to be maintained at public expense by East Lothian Council.

Unless otherwise specified, any reference to a British Standard shall mean the latest British Standard.

5.1.2 Design process

All lighting and electrical designs shall be carried out by designers who shall be asked to demonstrate their competency by means of detailing their experience, technical qualifications and responsibility, including the type of work and projects in which they have been involved indicating their own contribution and level of personal responsibility.

Designers shall as part of the design process undertake a site survey to ensure that:

  • Designer risk assessments can be prepared
  • any proposals are compatible with the existing equipment in adjoining areas
  • the design takes account of all environmental constraints

5.1.3 Lighting levels

Lighting levels, materials to be utilised, and the general scope of the works are to be agreed with the Council’s lighting engineer (email stlighting@eastlothian.gov.uk) before any design works commence. Designs must be in accordance with the Code of Practice for Road Lighting BS 5489-1 2020 and BS EN 13201.

The Authority will define the appropriate road hierarchy and lighting class for all lighting designs on both the existing network and new developments.

East Lothian Council’s policy is to minimise the energy consumption required by any new installation of lighting which is to be maintained at public expense. All proposed luminaires must be selected to be as energy efficient as possible.

UMSUG codes for lanterns specified will be provided along with the draft design.

Electrical design to be in accordance with BS7671:2018 and any revisions thereof.

Residential streets cul-de-sacs and remote footways shall be lit to lighting class P4 and dimmed by programmable driver from Midnight till 6am to lighting class P5.

Distributor roads, main traffic routes, bus routes etc. are to be lit to lighting class M4 and dimmed by programmable driver from Midnight till 6am to lighting class M5.

A maintenance factor of 0.76 shall be used for all lighting calculations.

5.1.4 Materials

All proposed columns shall by manufactured in aluminium unless specific planning conditions specify otherwise.

All warranties for proposed equipment shall be declared at the design stage.

If period or decorative columns/luminaires are to be used, the developer shall provide the manufacturer's specification for approval. Where decorative columns are used our lighting engineer may impose additional conditions that may or may not be identified in this specification.

Where non-standard equipment is approved, the developer shall supply the Council, at no cost, spare equipment for example, lantern, bracket, column etc. The quantity to be supplied shall be 10% (rounded up) of that installed or 1 number if fewer than 10 are installed. A commuted sum for bespoke street lighting and electrical equipment may also be requested to be agreed with the Council.

All bollards and traffic signs shall be of a suitable reflective material and will be non-illuminated. Details of the required specifications should be obtained from the the Council.

The Council’s lighting engineer must be notified before any works commence on site.

5.1.5 Lighting position

Generally all lighting columns are to be installed at the back of the adopted footway. When it is not possible to install columns at the back of the footway the below setbacks must be achievable.

The developer/designer is to allow for adequate clearance from the carriageway with minimum setback of:

  • 900mm from kerb edge when installing lighting columns on 30mph roads;
  • 1200mm from kerb edge when installing lighting columns on 40mph roads;
  • 1800mm from kerb edge when installing lighting columns on 50-70mph roads.

Lighting column base compartment doors are to face away from the direction of traffic travelling in the adjacent carriageway. Column orientation on site must allow the electrician carrying out any maintenance works to see oncoming traffic.

Columns which are located within soft landscaped areas shall be provided with a hard standing area of at least 600mm x 600mm x 60mm to allow sufficient workspace access for maintenance operatives.

Placement of columns in locations that may make the unit vulnerable to being struck by roads vehicles should be avoided. Where this cannot be designed out then the column must be protected by a kerbed surround or suitable bollards or tubular column guards. Use of such apparatus must be agreed with our lighting engineer.

5.1.6 Ducting

All ducts shall be fitted with a single draw rope and shall be laid in a trench depth to invert 750mm in roadway construction and 450mm in footway construction.

Where duct trenches are excavated in existing carriageways the existing road construction shall be saw-cut full-depth at each side of the trench.

Duct excavations shall be backfilled in accordance with the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 – Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways as updated.

5.1.7 Drawpits

Drawpits for Street Lighting purposes, when required, shall be constructed in sectional units.

Unless otherwise stated all drawpits shall have 450mm x 450mm outer wall dimensions with galvanised steel full frame in accordance with BS729 and anti-slip composite polyester cover in accordance with BS497 Grade B (5 tonne loading) (non-metallic) marked “STREET LIGHTING”.

Draw ropes shall be tied off within the draw box to ensure that they cannot inadvertently be withdrawn from other locations.

The draw box cover and frame shall be laid to suit the finished footway surface level and gradient.

5.1.8 Vegetation

The developer is responsible for ensuring that any surrounding high/low level trees and or vegetation, private or otherwise near proposed/installed lighting columns is sufficiently cut back to allow for suitable illumination of the road in accordance with the approved lighting design.

The developer is responsible for resolving and agreeing any cutting back/removal or modification of trees subject to TPO within design extents prior to the installation of lighting columns to ensure lighting provided is fit for purpose prior to hand over.

5.1.9 Column numbering

Column numbering will be provided by the developer on receipt of a schedule from our lighting engineer.

All column numbers shall be installed at 1800mm height from ground level and be stencil painted on or printed on a reflectorized 3M or similar self-adhesive label with black coloured character on a white background. The column numbering will be specified by the lighting engineer prior to formal adoption.

Numbers on columns located on residential subsidiary roads/cul-de-sacs/footpath shall have a character height of 50mm.

5.1.10 AS BUILT drawings

AS BUILT drawings are to be provided by the developer on completion of the works and prior to formal adoption.

The AS BUILT drawings provided shall clearly show the position of all the street lighting equipment, cabinets, cables, draw pits, ducts and the like as actually installed.

The developer must provide electrical test certificates prior to formal adoption of the roads and street lighting and electrical equipment. The certification will be as per BS7671:2018


Note: These webpages are for reference by developers of housing and employment sites in East Lothian.
They provide guidance on transport infrastructure against which Planning Applications will be assessed
and evaluated, and set out East Lothian Council's procedures regarding the construction and adoption
of new roads in accordance with current legislation.
These pages supersede all previous versions of our Standards for Development Roads document.

Revisions
01/07/2023 Document release