To ask the Minister for Infrastructure, given that active travel spending can be used to fund street lighting under her Department's new accounting policy, whether she will consider extending street lighting in areas where an interest is shown.

My Department’s current policy for the provision of street lighting in rural locations considers:

The density of housing within a community, including public buildings with significant nighttime use; and,

Road safety, where street lighting would contribute to a reduction in the number of night-time collisions.

I am conscious that street lighting can contribute significantly to feelings of personal security and safety, particularly for women travelling at night. This is an important consideration when officials are developing proposals to improve pedestrian and cycling infrastructure to key destinations that have greatest potential for modal shift, such as routes to train stations or Park & Ride sites on the edge of towns.

However, requests for lighting must be balanced against the unwelcome effects of increased urbanisation of the countryside, the environmental impact of night sky light pollution on people, wildlife and flora, and our desire to reduce the carbon footprint and electricity costs associated with our infrastructure.

While there are no plans to change the street lighting policy at this time, my Department will consider the merit of providing lighting as part of the design process for prioritised active travel schemes.