Motorway lighting to be shut off on M4

The lighting on a stretch of Bristol motorway will be shut off over night as part of a move to reduce pollution.

 

The Highways Agency will be switching off the lights between the hours of midnight and 5am which they believe will reduce carbon emissions and light pollution.

 

The M4 between junctions 21 and 22 near Bristol, and stretches of the M5 near Exeter have been chosen due to their safety record.

 

The shut off is due to happen on the morning of Thursday March 26 though motorway junctions will remain lit.  

 

The switch off will work by timed device at the roadside but the Highways Agency’s Regional Control Centre for the South West can override this if necessary.

 

Chief Highway Engineer at the Highways Agency, Ginny Clarke said: “We are looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of operating the motorway network and this is one step in that direction. We expect up to 40 per cent savings in carbon emissions and energy use for each section of motorway where we do this, and local communities will benefit from reduced light pollution of the night sky.

 

“The traffic flows are so low in the early hours that when taken together with the good safety record of the sites, there would be no case for installing new lighting if the decision was based on the overnight figures alone.”