Motorway is pitch black

[Unfortunatelynot]

Why and when did the highway agency decide to turn the motorway lights off?
AIBU to think driving at 50-70mph in the dark feels treacherous?

My nearest motorways have large sections without lighting, and it’s been this way as long as I can remember, I didn’t realise this was unusual!

Same with the dual carriageways near me. It can be a bit of a pita when driving at night, it’s undoubtedly easier to drive when the roads are lit up, but it’s always been that way.

Cars have headlights.

This article from Gov.UK explained the position on Motorway lighting in 2012. Note also that it states that 70% of the motorway network never had lighting. So no, it’s not a recent thing
See heresee here

The vast majority of motorway where there aren't junctions have always been unlit. There was a push to light more in the 90s/early 2000s but that was reversed in the 2010s. Still, even at its peak, only about a third of the network was lit.

Huge swathes of the motorway network have never had lighting apart from at junctions, this has been normal for decades. I learned to drive over 45 years ago and it hasn't changed as far as I'm aware.

I have found that it’s not so much a lack of lighting, as a combination of no lighting, stretches of missing cat’s eyes and a lack of bright white lines.

That combination can make driving at national speed limit really tricky.

I am a confident driver and cyber a lot of miles but this can be unpleasant and disorientating. I am lucky to have a car with powerful headlights, although obviously have to dip them as needed which really reduces how far ahead I can judge the road. I’m also conscious that many older cars don’t have such bright headlights, and drivers of these deserve better.

Again. It’s junctions we’re talking about.

Many sections of motorways and other major roads have never had lighting.....
What is the problem?

Not that long ago. When they were introduced they were heralded as a big safety improvement.

https://www.saferhighways.co.uk/post/national-highways-set-to-remove-m6-and-m5-motorway-lights-to-hit-carbon-emissions-targets

Agree, the combination of pitch black with frequent dazzling is awful.

I agree, if there are decent road markings and cats eyes, it’s not as bad.

Regularly drove M4/M5/A30 at night and very few sections have lighting. The light pollution through rural areas would be horrendous.

You do need cats eyes though, but they are more than adequate so long as they are in good condition

Thanks, that’s is the answer to my question.
It was actually travelling on the M6 which prompted my post. And to all those concerned posters, yes my car does have headlights, yes I do know how to use them, yes I am a safe driver. I clearly just prefer driving where I have a clear and broad view of the environment I am travelling in. Sorry wildlife, I know that’s inconsiderate.

Gosh I used to bomb home on a Friday night, up the M1 or A1 and the majority didn’t have lights.
If you don’t feel safe driving on unlit motorways go a different route.
I definitely wouldn’t go as fast now as I used to but if you are too scared you shouldn’t be driving it.
Thrre used to be a stretch of the A1 after Leeds heading north that was quite ‘curvey’ to say the least.
They sorted it out about 20 years ago but there were no lights there and we managed fine.
Really if you can’t drive without streetlights -the news gives a clue- you honestly need to either get some lessons or find a different way on different roads.

I agree. Even worse when no lights and foggy.

Biggest red flag is that unless in speed restricted places no one driving a car should be doing 50mph on the motorway (if that’s the top speed you are comfortable with you have no business on any motorway). Outside of that it’s the potholes that could take me to china that are a lot more frightening than no lights (in Scotland there are no prolonged areas of motorway that have lights).

I find this difficult - I drive a Fiesta and the lights aren't very bright, plus I don't think my night vision is as good as when I was younger (my daytime vision is fine with glasses). And can't put main beam on due to cars on opposite carriageway.

I'm guessing it's easier in cars with brighter headlights.

Yes I find it creepy. I am a good driver but only learned in middle age after I had a baby so I have new driving experiences from time to time.

I remember one trip to visit an estranged.family member. Things were very very stressful at home for a brief period and I needed to get away from the house. I put our three yo DC in the car and drove across the country. I was very worn out and tired.

I remember driving along in the pitch dark and speaking to my DC but getting no answer (they had fallen asleep). I glanced in the mirror but it was pitch dark. I started to cry, everything was going wrong, it felt like there was no hope of change and my brain went to awful places that my DC was dead in the back of the car and I was just driving mindlessly into the pitch dark night.

It was horrible. I arrived to my relative's house and she was so lovely. In the morning she took my DC downstairs and I fell back asleep. I slept for thirteen hours in total.

Yes - same in my Fiesta, blinded by the ridiculously bright lights on other cars and not great on dark motorways.

The stretch of M6 in Lancashire with four junctions very close to each other and quite a few merging lanes/four lanes should definitely have lights- it’s only partially lit & there’s a lot of accidents. It’s a particularly bad/doomed section which gets really busy.

Otherwise I don’t see the issue. If it’s busy other vehicles help provide light and if it’s quiet, then there’s less danger of a crash anyway.

Being able to drive from city to city at 70mph+ after dark isn't a Human Right. If you don't feel safe/comfortable doing it then plan your life commitments to ensure it's never needed. All driving licence holders are supposed to use mature judgement for a lot of decisions - how fast to go given that the upper limit on any road is only a maximum for when road surface, llighting and visibility conditions are optimal, how often to take breaks/break up long journeys with overnight stops, how often to get the vehicle serviced and what to do about amber "advisories" om the annual MOT. Deciding whether or not to drive on motorways after sunset is one such choice open to you. I generally plan to minimise motorway driving after dark - I am occasionally doing the last half hour of a long journey just after sunset on roads I know well

Happened years ago except for short stretches at very busy places. I totally understand the reasoning and even agree with it but I do hate it - it makes me feel disoriented and on edge.

I agree

What a bizarre post. Most motorways have stretches which never had lighting. They have cat’s eyes and are perfectly safe.

Surely the motorway is where you don’t get dazzled by headlights as they’re on a separate carriageway?