In 2014, the Mobility Ministry made the decision to limit the amount of street lamps on three motorways in Luxembourg in an effort to cut electricity costs. Now, 11 years later, 872 street lights and 731 lampposts have been removed.
In response to a parliamentary question, Mobility Minister Yuriko Backes delved into the exact figures, revealing that 7,267 lampposts remain on the motorway network. Secondary roads are not affected by the decision, so the number of lights has remained largely unchanged since 2014, the minister noted.
The lampposts were cut down to one metre, which Minister Backes explained as “the fastest and most efficient method to minimise impact on traffic”. She continued that “the lower part of the posts will only be removed once larger construction projects for these motorway sections are being planned”.
To “guarantee motorists’ security”, the minister underlines that no lights were removed in potentially dangerous areas, or on junction sites. In her response, Backes further asserts that the number of fatal road accidents has decreased in recent years, leading her to conclude that the “removal of lampposts in the affected areas has therefore not had any negative effect on road safety”.
