Bike Lights for Dark Nights

Hull City Council, working with various partners, has been running its popular Bike Lights for Dark Nights initiative for the past three winters.

The initiative identifies and supports poorly illuminated cyclists by providing free bike lights and reflective gear as well as roadside education on the importance of being visible and the need to ride in accordance with the law, to reduce collisions on Hull’s roads.

In addition to the terrible impact that a road traffic collision or death on the road can have on an individual, their family and the wider community, it can also have a huge financial cost - estimated to be around £271,000 for a serious injury and £2.4million for a death.

In recent years, Bike Lights for Dark Nights has seen ‘pop-up’ events take place at various locations across the city, aimed at the public as well as with major businesses and organisations in Hull and with schools.

Last year's activity was funded by the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside and supported by Safer Roads Humber, HEY Volunteers and Humberside Fire & Rescue Service.

Since its launch, dozens of events have taken place across Hull, particularly focusing on key travel routes and busy junctions, engaging hundreds of cyclists and issuing almost 800 sets of bike lights and over 300 hi-vis rucksack covers to make the city's roads safer.

The video below sets out the legal requirements for cycling at night.

Bike Lights for Dark Nights will run across Hull for a fourth winter, but with a new focus on supporting young people who cycle to and from school to stay safe and stay seen during the darker nights.

Hull City Council, supported by Safer Roads Humber, will be running the initiative in Hull’s primary schools between November 2025 and January 2026.

The decision to focus on schools follows feedback from schools, local communities and parents and is also seen as an opportunity to further improve road safety for young people by aligning the initiative with the council’s Bikeability programme for Year 6 students, which was recognised as being the best in England this summer.

It means that, in addition to receiving cycle training delivered by the council’s contractors, QTS and First Step Cycle, around 800 students will receive a free set of bike lights and a hi-vis rucksack cover.

This year’s activity has been part-funded by the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside, who also supported last year’s campaign.