THERE are many views about whether or not motorways should be lit at night.

Anyone who drives around this country, or in mainland Europe, will know that there are both illuminated and dark stretches of carriageway.

There seems to be no hard and fast rule although cost is undoubtedly one factor in deciding whether to erect lighting towers. And so too is real concern about light pollution.

Our motorways cut through some of the most beautiful parts of the country and the sight of huge poles marching like pylons across the landscape is not a pretty one.

Bathing vast areas in orange at 3am when there may be very few vehicles driving by is also a waste of energy resources.

But others insist that accident figures are reduced when these highways are properly lit and this consideration must be paramount.

With this backcloth the idea of lights activated by motion sensors could be a sensible compromise.

It would provide good light when vehicles were passing but not blaze away all night when there was no traffic.

But the technology must be properly trialled so we know it works properly and is reliable.

No one wants there area to be host to a costly ‘experiment’ that fails.