Feeling unsafe at night : a major challenge in cities
10/06/2026
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In many French and international cities, decisions to reduce or switch off public lighting at night, motivated by energy efficiency, budget cuts or environmental protection, have sparked intense debate about residents' feelings of insecurity.

While these measures respond to real challenges such as the energy crisis and the ecological transition, they also raise questions about how urban spaces are perceived and experienced when plunged into darkness.

How can we reconcile energy efficiency with a sense of security?

Let's explore the impact of darkness on the perception of public spaces and the innovative solutions available, such as LuminoKrom®, to maintain reassuring visual landmarks.

Darkness fuels feelings of insecurity : the absence of visual cues

Darkness profoundly alters the perception of a place. Without clear visual landmarks on pavements, pedestrian crossings or street furniture, the space seems less controllable. Even when statistics do not necessarily show a significant increase in crime, the feeling of insecurity can increase significantly.

Several cities have experimented with partially turning off night-time lighting. In Lyon, lighting has been reduced in certain areas as part of energy-saving policies. In Grenoble, residential neighbourhoods have also been affected.

Internationally, cities such as Berlin have engaged in similar discussions about light sobriety.

rue flaque nuit

These decisions are also part of an environmental objective : to limit light pollution in order to protect nocturnal biodiversity. Artificial light disrupts the natural cycles of insects, birds and mammals, alters biological rhythms and affects urban ecosystems. Reducing lighting therefore helps to address a real ecological challenge.

However, the absence of light also removes reassuring spatial cues :

  • impaired perception of distances
  • difficulty identifying faces or movements
  • shaded areas that can cause anxiety

Urban planning therefore becomes a key lever for reconciling energy efficiency, biodiversity protection and perceived safety.

How urban planning can adapt

rue sombre de nuit

Light has historically been used as a tool to make public spaces safer. It is not only used to see, but also to reassure.

Appropriate lighting makes it possible to :

  • improve the visibility of pedestrian walkways
  • clarify traffic areas
  • create constant visual landmarks
  • create constant visual landmarks

But today, the challenge is no longer just to provide more light.

It is about providing better lighting : targeting strategic areas (pedestrian crossings, stairs, cycle paths), adjusting light intensity according to the time of day, and favouring more energy-efficient solutions.

Urban planning can also incorporate passive devices that do not require a permanent power supply in order to maintain minimum visibility in the event of a night-time blackout or power cut.

The key lies in striking a balance between simplicity, environmental friendliness and the psychological comfort of users.

LuminoKrom® as an innovative solution

In this context, alternative solutions are emerging to maintain visual landmarks without resorting to continuous lighting.

luminokrom-escalier-luxembourg 2LuminoKrom® is a photoluminescent technology that absorbs natural or artificial light during the day and releases it at night, without the need for a power supply.

Applied to road markings, such as on cycle paths or pedestrian crossings, for example (soft pathways), it makes it possible to :

  • materialise trajectories
  • improve the visibility of public spaces
  • visually secure night-time travel
  • operate without consuming energy

 

This approach offers a concrete solution for local authorities wishing to reduce night-time lighting while maintaining visible landmarks for users.

Discover LuminoKrom® solutions

Policies aimed at turning off or reducing public lighting address major issues: budget savings, energy transition, the fight against light pollution and the protection of biodiversity.

But darkness is not just a lack of light : it often leads to an increased feeling of insecurity among residents.

The challenge for cities is therefore not to choose between light and darkness, but to rethink urban planning in order to reconcile sobriety and serenity.

Innovative solutions such as LuminoKrom® provide a sustainable and reassuring response by reintroducing visual landmarks where traditional lighting disappears.

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