Upgraded lighting enhances safety and efficiency at Sunbury Cross Subway

Sunbury Cross Subway, a busy pedestrian and cyclist underpass in Sunbury-on-Thames, has undergone a major lighting upgrade funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Safer Streets initiative. Forming part of the wider Surrey County Council LED upgrade programme – which delivers county-wide benefits – the project aims to boost visibility, enhance public safety, and modernise outdated lighting infrastructure.

Effective lighting is essential in the underpass to reduce the perception of crime and create a safer, more welcoming space for users. Poor visibility, dark spaces, and inadequate light distribution can contribute to unease in enclosed environments, making lighting a critical factor in user confidence. The previous system suffered from structural and water damage, poor coverage, and an outdated control system, which reduced its effectiveness and required an upgrade.

To resolve these issues, and those experienced across the county, DW Windsor worked with Surrey County Council, M Group Highways (formerly Milestone Infrastructure), and Urban Control to develop a lighting scheme that provides consistent illumination while balancing efficiency and user experience. Additionally, the replacement of the old subway fittings with LED luminaires provided greater energy savings than the old fluorescent lamps which were banned in the UK in February 2024.

DW Windsor supplied Kova luminaires fitted with integrated control nodes to illuminate the underpass. Engineered for durability in demanding environments, the vandal-resistant lights feature a robust stainless steel construction and impact-resistant polycarbonate glazing, ensuring exceptional resilience with an IK10+ rating. The luminaires were mounted along the length of the underpass at even spacings to eliminate dark spots and improve visibility for pedestrians and cyclists.

A key consideration was ensuring the lighting levels were optimised to provide a sense of security while maintaining efficiency. The team conducted extensive on-site testing at 100 percent, 50 percent, and 10 percent outputs to assess the most effective illumination for the subway environment. This approach ensured the lighting was precisely calibrated to user needs, delivering the ideal balance between safety, visibility, and energy efficiency.

As a result of these findings, the team implemented an adaptive dimming strategy to ensure lighting levels remained appropriate throughout the night. The lighting operates at 100 percent output during winter months from 4pm, ensuring full brightness when it is most needed. As foot traffic decreases, the output gradually dims to between 80 percent and 50 percent. After midnight, the lighting reduces further to 10 percent, minimising energy consumption while maintaining a safe and inviting environment.

In addition to energy efficiency, the scheme was designed to meet industry best practices for lighting performance and safety. The new system complies with BS 5489 lighting standards, delivering an average illumination of 350 lux during the day while allowing light levels to dim to 100 lux at night. This ensures a smooth transition from bright external areas into the subway, improving visual comfort for pedestrians and cyclists.

One challenge was ensuring reliable connectivity within the subway tunnels, which restricted signal transmission. DW Windsor worked with CMS provider Urban Control to integrate smart lighting controls, enabling seamless communication between the central management system (CMS) and the luminaire nodes. This allows remote monitoring and dynamic adjustment of lighting levels, improving long-term operational efficiency.

Graham Skinner, Business Unit Manager at Urban Control, said: “The collaboration between DW Windsor, M Group Highways, and Urban Control has transformed both the lighting and smart control capabilities of Sunbury Cross Subway. By successfully integrating Urban Control CMS technology with luminaires in a challenging subway environment, this project has set a benchmark, with other boroughs and councils now following this pioneering example.”

Gary Thorne, Senior Projects Manager at M Group Highways, said: “The Sunbury Cross Subway project is a fantastic example of how smart lighting technology can enhance both safety and efficiency in urban spaces. This project not only improves visibility and user confidence but also sets a precedent for how intelligent lighting can transform public infrastructure.”

Client: Surrey County Council.

Contractor: M Group Highways.

Lighting: DW Windsor.

Control: Urban Control.