Haven Green, Ealing

Client: London Borough of Ealing
Type of works: supply of the sustainable Serina lighting system, with Diamond Optic^® reflector, from DW Windsor.

Haven Green is a valuable conservation area at the heart of Ealing, close to its tube station, and one of sixteen such areas in the borough. After media coverage suggesting that Ealing was the worst lit of all the London boroughs and reports from the public that they were afraid to walk through Haven Green after dark, the borough embarked on a major integrated transport scheme.

The aim, according to Shahid Iqbal of London Borough of Ealing, Transport & Planning, was to: ‘Improve the interchange at Ealing Broadway station, with the objectives being to improve bus and pedestrian flow and encourage use of the station by making it more user-friendly and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.’

DW Windsor chose Serina for the job. In terms of performance, Serina was hard to beat – its Diamond Optic^® reflector gives 5/35 distribution with excellent uniformity and flexibility. Other factors in Serina’s favour include its sustainability credentials - its unique construction entirely from recyclable materials such as aluminium, polycarbonate and lightweight polymers and an ingenious design comprising what is probably the first ever semi-cut-off, light pollution-free optic system.

Aesthetic considerations were equally important and, after trial mounting on the Ealing standard hockey stick columns, it was agreed that Serina’s unique, sleekly aerodynamic styling transformed the area. Serina luminaires were then installed on 8 and 10m columns lining three sides of the square and the main road running through it to great effect, with DW Windsor Lighting’s Windsor Street luminaires cutting diagonal dashes across the Green to light the footpaths. Equally important were the advantages of using white light in the Green itself. The efficiency of the unique optic and CDM-T lamps means people can see better - and in colour. That in itself makes the public feel safer and because it enables CCTV to pick up significantly more detail they actually are safer.

With the new lighting installed, people feel much safer walking through the park and consequently the pedestrian traffic through the park has risen dramatically.

The London Borough of Ealing has received calls from the public saying that whereas they used to find Haven Green intimidating they now feel much safer because of the clear all-round vision on the footpath. The full results of the integrated transport scheme around Ealing Broadway station have yet to be assessed.