Lighting Maintenance and Enhancement

The Highways Department (HyD) is responsible for the management and maintenance of about 240 000 public lighting points in Hong Kong, which covers 140 000 road lights, 94 000 structure lightings (including footbridges, subways, covered walkways, public transport interchanges and underpasses) and 6 000 road sign floodlights.

Along the roads of Hong Kong, there are more than 140,000 road lights. In order to keep up the high level of public lighting services, we carry out regular maintenance and repair to ensure the operating reliability of the road lights. The HyD conducts preventive maintenance so as to maintain the illumination quality, and availability of the public lighting. With the night scouting arrangement and corrective maintenance, the faulty lighting devices can be rectified in a timely manner.

Different technologies are adopted to maximize the operating efficiency of our lighting system, including power control using photocell & astro timer and the use of Light Emitting Diode (LED) luminaires.

In terms of environmental protection, the HyD has launched a Light Emitting Diode (LED) replacement programme since 2017/18 to provide a more energy-efficient, durable, environmentally friendly and quality public lighting system. Up to February 2025, the LED replacement programme has completed the replacement of 130 500 road lights and 20 250 structural lights (such as the lighting at footbridges and subways) with LED luminaires. 4 900 floodlights at gantry signs and directional signs have been replaced. The number of lights replaced far exceeds the original target of the programme. The LED replacement programme has been extended to cover all lightings at footbridges/subways, public transport interchanges and underpasses in 2024/25. The replacement programme is targeted for completion by 2029. In the meantime, we endeavor to promote the use of Renewable Energy, with a view to accomplishing the Green Energy Target formulated in the 2019 Policy Address.

In response to the government's policy on smart city and innovative technology, the HyD has been striving to explore the application of new technology with a view to enhancing the level of public services. Starting 2022, we have been progressively rolling out the Smart Lighting Management System (SLMS). The SLMS has been fully implemented on Hong Kong Island since February 2025. The SLMS would progressively cover all the public lighting system in Kowloon and New Territories, leading the public lighting services of Hong Kong into the smart era.

Whilst the main function of road lighting is to provide suitable illumination on roads for safety and security, road lights incorporating aesthetically pleasing design are also erected in particular locations to complement the surrounding environment. HyD commenced a five-year "Decorative Lighting Replacement Programme" in 2018. Some existing road lights at selected MTR stations are refurbished with suitable styles LED decorative lanterns to match and enhance the streetscape near the MTR stations. To further enhance the urban streetscape, the Highways Department further implements the lamppost beautification work starting from 2021, covering streets with high pedestrian flow in urban areas to enhance the local characteristics and streetscape.

Apart from the provision of public lighting on roads maintained by HyD, we also provide public lighting in rural areas upon applications by the villagers under the "Village Lighting Programme (VLP)". With jointed effort of relevant departments, we are primarily responsible for the installation works under the VLP.