Eden Bridge
July 2023
PROJECT NEWS
DW Windsor delivers sensitive lighting for Eden Bridge using Tunable White technology
As a busy road over the River Eden and one of the main pathways into Carlisle City Centre, Eden Bridge crossing is a focal point and important landmark in the region. As part of Cumberland Council’s continuing investment in improving the highway network life, expired lighting on Eden Bridge was replaced with innovative, environmentally friendly LED lighting.
Cumbria has a high-quality natural environment, and the bridge is located near a world heritage site. The River Eden is a Special Area of Conservation, a vital habitat for nationally important species, including the Atlantic Salmon, Otter and several species of Lamprey. As part of the lighting assessment, the ecological implications on the river were considered, as this area is such a valuable nocturnal highway for wildlife. Therefore, preserving the surrounding environment by using dark sky and wildlife-friendly lighting was crucial to preventing light pollution and glare.
Cumberland Council appointed leading British manufacturer DW Windsor to supply the bridge lighting, specifying DW Windsor’s Daytona luminaire to illuminate the scheme.
The project faced an engineering challenge when locating the lighting columns due to the high density of utility services using the bridge to cross the River Eden. The lighting needed to be flexible to meet design standards, remain sympathetic to the night-time ecology and fit within the limited available locations. In addition, the lighting needed to be quick to install and easy to maintain due to the heavily trafficked area.
Daytona luminaires were the ideal solution thanks to their innovative Tunable White technology, which can automatically adjust colour temperature and brightness throughout the night. Furthermore, toolless entry ensures easy installation, while replaceable light modules allow for simple luminaire maintenance. This future-proofed design and technology is ideally suited to urban applications, providing an elegant circular design and sleek aesthetic.
Ten Daytona luminaires were installed along the bridge to illuminate it at peak times. Discreet light shields were added to avoid light spilling down into the river. At dusk, the colour temperature is set to 2700K before adjusting to 2400K at 9pm, and finally 2200K at midnight, with a dimming profile down to 50%.
Cumberland Council are one of the key partners delivering positive lighting solutions to help achieve a net reduction in light pollution within Cumbria. Research into the ecological effects of artificial light entering the water environment shows it can be very harmful to many species of wildlife, such as aquatic insects, fish and mammals. River corridors also provide essential feeding grounds for several protected bat species. So this carefully designed lighting solution over the River Eden with DW Windsor provides another excellent example of Cumberland demonstrating best practice in public lighting.
—Jack Ellerby, Dark Skies Officer in Cumbria at Friends of the Lake District
Daytona is offered an extensive range of optics to provide a variety of distributions and direct light only where it’s needed, ensuring safety for road users while also minimising the impact on local wildlife. Meanwhile, Bluetooth control works via a smartphone app, allowing ease of use for the end user to change colour temperature profiles and programme settings for the luminaires.
Cumberland Councillor, Denise Rollo, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places said: “Cumberland Council recognise that dark skies are integral to the health and wellbeing of our communities and night-time ecology. The council is committed to putting health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do. One way we can achieve this is by being innovative in the way we deliver our services, and the technology applied by DW Windsor’s Daytona luminaires with Bluetooth control enables us to provide environmentally sensitive lighting while meeting the needs of our communities. We enjoy a great working relationship with DW Windsor as a reliable and trusted partner and look forward to strengthening this partnership in the future.”
Eden Bridge is now an attractive, well-lit passageway for visitors on their journey into Carlisle and is an appealing sight which can be viewed from the surrounding areas.
Jack Ellerby, Dark Skies Officer in Cumbria at Friends of the Lake District, said: “Cumberland Council are one of the key partners delivering positive lighting solutions to help achieve a net reduction in light pollution within Cumbria. Research into the ecological effects of artificial light entering the water environment shows it can be very harmful to many species of wildlife, such as aquatic insects, fish and mammals. River corridors also provide essential feeding grounds for several protected bat species. So this carefully designed lighting solution over the River Eden with DW Windsor provides another excellent example of Cumberland demonstrating best practice in public lighting.”
Project credits:
Client: Cumberland Council
Installation: Aptus Utilities Limited
Sockets provider: NAL Limited
