Lighting techniques considering the safety and comfort of the elderly in the railway station space

Abstract

Modern railway station spaces are being developed to be large and multifunctional through integration with commercial districts. They can go beyond their usual functions of transportation facilities to meet social requirements. The staircase space is a dynamic component of railway space where many users move simultaneously, and it requires appropriate safety measures. The objectives of this study are twofold: to clarify the effect of (1) the lighting environment of the staircase space and (2) the change in mounting height of the handrail lighting on mobility and safety. An on-site survey and impression evaluation of 28 railway stations in Tokyo indicated that illuminance and uniformity at the lower line of sight considerably affected the psychology of users. Therefore, handrail lights that can illuminate the surface of the stairs from a low position need to be installed to achieve a safe and comfortable light environment. No significant influence was detected based on the installation height of the handrail lighting; However, compared to the ceiling lighting, the handrail lighting was found to be higher in brightness, safety, and comfort items of impression evaluation. In addition, the elderly group evaluated the lighting environment with handrail lighting as more preference and safer than the young group.