Amiens Métropole plays with light

How does it work?

Smart sensors that adjust the lighting and light density to the road speed of the cyclist, pedestrian and car. "In consultation with the CCI and industry planners, we are also going to collect user opinion," said Samuel Barbarin, of Amiens Métropole's public space management.

The success of this experiment depends on the success of a new installation further down. In the west of Amiens, past the car park of the Carrefour supermarket, the lighting will be offered in “clusters”: a whole row (of the two) lights will light up suddenly, to the left or right of the lane. In the east of the area, towards the shopping promenade, Amien places a 'light train': only a few lamp posts are lit at a time, depending on the progress of the pedestrian or cyclist.

Forefront of EU innovation

The central lane lighting in the area stays on and becomes more intensive as soon as a vehicle enters one of the roundabouts. The pilot is part of a larger research project Smart Light Concepts (SLIC). "This project puts our territory at the forefront of European public lighting," said Barbarin. The total investment is estimated at € 333,000, 40% of which will be borne by the community. The remainder is a grant from the Interreg 2 Seas program that supports SLIC financially. Amiens Métropole works together with Belgian, Dutch and British parties. Public lighting currently represents more than 30% of the local government's energy bill.