Plans to move UK to European time zone edge a step closer. Road Safety Affected?

[ringway]

A new tourism strategy, which is expected to contain plans to move British standard time to Central European Time, will be published by the government later this week.

If the plans get the green light it would mean that the clocks would be brought forward an extra hour from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in winter and an extra two hours in summer - making evenings lighter and mornings darker.

It would also mean that the UK would be in the same time zone as European countries such as France, Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Italy.

In December, The Daylight Saving Bill was backed by a majority of MPs in the House of Commons hoping to boost the country's tourism in time for the 2012 Olympics.



There have also been growing calls from daylight saving time campaigners claiming the current system is outdated and the time change would help boost tourism, improve quality of life and the economy.

However, the idea of a double British Summer Time (BST) still remains unpopular in Scotland and Northern England as political opponents fear longer dark mornings could increase road traffic accidents, especially in the school rush hour.

A spokesman from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) said that the tourism industry was generally supportive of the potential move.

According to the 'Lighter Later' campaign, an umbrella group promoting the change, the proposed time zone shift has already lobbied widespread support.

Daniel Vockins, Director of 'Lighter Later' said: "We are further forward than we have been for 40 years. The Daylight Saving Bill is being backed by 65 national organisations like the FA, the AA, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and tens of thousands of people. It is a cultural myth that moving the clocks forward would cause road accidents. If we look at the evidence, it's simply not true."

"A piece of research by the Policy Institute found that it could actually save 20 lives a year on Scottish roads. It would also create 80,000 jobs a year in tourism, reduce half a million tones of carbon through energy saving and allow athletes to train for longer. This is a low-cost policy that has received strong support and would be quite a legacy for the 2012 Olympics."


The last clock change came into force between 1968 and 1971 when clocks were advanced one hour ahead of GMT all year round.

 

[isobars]

However, the idea of a double British Summer Time (BST) still remains unpopular in Scotland and Northern England as political opponents fear longer dark mornings could increase road traffic accidents, especially in the school rush hour.

There would be thousands fewer accidents if the kid's got on a bus instead of Mummy or Daddy taking their precious ones to school - and everyone would get where they were going a whole lot sooner!!

 

[219]

This is another hare-brained scheme with NOTHING to commend it .

I well remember walking to school in pitch dark circa 1970 ( still at primary school ) .

Even if England adopts this , there is a strong case for the Scottish Parliament rejecting this and retaining the status quo North of the border .

 

[MarriedBlonde]

There would be thousands fewer accidents if the kid's got on a bus instead of Mummy or Daddy taking their precious ones to school - and everyone would get where they were going a whole lot sooner!!

Which would be fine if there wasn't sick people out there wanting to abuse children....

 

[219]

Which would be fine if there wasn't sick people out there wanting to abuse children....

???

What has that got to do with getting the bus to school ?

 

[MarriedBlonde]

Young children using public buses in my mind is not a great idea. Fair enough not so bad when they get older and "wiser" but given the choice if we can drive them then it is a much better idea in my mind.

I wonder how many mummies driving their darlings to school do actually crash? Down my way it always seems to be the really old or the really young leaving the road or missing a junction and driving straight over a cross roads...

 

[renault12ts]

Which would be fine if there wasn't sick people out there wanting to abuse children....

Nonsense, just plain nonsense.

 

[renault12ts]

Back on topic. In Scotland and NI, it would be after midnight in the summer before darkness arrived. And it would only get light at about 9.30am in the winter.

Keep it the way it is...its a reasonable compromise.

 

[gIzzE]

Let Scotland keep their time the same and let us move our clocks, I would much rather have it light from 7.30am through to 11ish.


I think many forget there is no buses for most people. When I was at school I had to get 3 buses and it took nearly 2 hours and cost £4, that was in the early 80's and would now cost £11. They added school buses when I was in my second year of high school.

I let my daughter walk to middle school when we lived in the city, but now we live in a small market town I am not so sure I will let me son, too many weirdos round here and far too many peado's, sometimes having a friend whos job is to monitor them is not a good thing!!

 

[Dryce]

Nonsense, just plain nonsense.

Paranoid sick nonsense.

 

[Beetnik]

A new tourism strategy, which is expected to contain plans to move British standard time to Central European Time...

Surely the strategy should be to promote the plans, not contain them?

I'll get my coat....

 

[flango]

This is another hare-brained scheme with NOTHING to commend it .

I well remember walking to school in pitch dark circa 1970 ( still at primary school ) .

Even if England adopts this , there is a strong case for the Scottish Parliament rejecting this and retaining the status quo North of the border .

In winter it would be dark in Aberdeen just after lunch and in summer light until about 2am, no one will ever convince me that makes sense, look at the stats for Northern Scotland in Isolation and road traffic accidents are predicted to increase which is not really surprising if its dark at lunchtime

 

[LTD]

According to an AA study (http://www.theaa.com/public_affairs/...d_children.pdf) 80% of accidents involving children occur outwith the school day.

The fact then is that children are most at risk when outside during daylight hours rather on their journey to school.

It's a non-argument focusing on the children when the real motive behind it is this :

"In December, The Daylight Saving Bill was backed by a majority of MPs in the House of Commons hoping to boost the country's tourism in time for the 2012 Olympics."

 

[Pappilo]

Which would be fine if there wasn't sick people out there wanting to abuse children....

A very valid point you make. Food for thought

 

[Burger]

As someone who works a lot with the US I wish they'd move us further away from mainland Europe and nearer there

Seriously, it's not the UK that has the time wrong... it's France, Spain and Portugal (although I seem to remember they're on the same time as the UK?). I mean, are we going to move The Prime Meridian as well?

I honestly for the life of me can't see what difference 1 hour could possibly make to tourism... The whole thing sounds to me like yet another pumped up pile of nonsense job creation scheme.

 

[R2e]

I'm kinda disappointed that the Scots don't see the obvious answer (being an expat one myself) - change the school and business hours for winter once the country moves to double summer time. So businesses run 10-6 instead of 9-5. This business of mucking with the clocks is pointless.

I also love the complaints we hear from farmers, every farmer I've ever known works to the daylight whenever it is, not the clocks, just like the animals they tend. My domestic animals get very confused when the clock changes, suddenly have to get up, eat, sleep, at different times.

 

[Dryce]

In winter it would be dark in Aberdeen just after lunch and in summer light until about 2am, no one will ever convince me that makes sense, look at the stats for Northern Scotland in Isolation and road traffic accidents are predicted to increase which is not really surprising if its dark at lunchtime

Aberdeen would see sunrise at 0945'ish on the winter solistice instead of 0845'ish. And sunset at midnight on the summer solstice instead of 2300ish.

The stuff I can recall seeing in the 80s during a previous argument on the matter suggested that road accidents were worse in the afternoon/evening than in the morning and the inference was that the clocks moving forward was beneficial.

As for accidents in Northern Scotland - there are so few people that if there was a small improvement down south there would have to be a massive worsening up north to offset it.

I was staying in Elgin during the winter experiment with staying on BST and don't recall it being a major problem.

 

[bpsorrel]

Personally, I wish they'd just leave the time alone and move onto something more important! Can't see anything wrong with it as it is.
Why do governments and various "road safety groups" have to discuss this every year??!

 

[neilrr]

Even if England adopts this , there is a strong case for the Scottish Parliament rejecting this and retaining the status quo North of the border .

That's fine. Who but the Scots cares?

What time would sunrise & sunset be in the S. of England on June 21st if this were changed?

 

[bpsorrel]

Currently sunset in London on 21st June is 22.22, so, would be 23.22.... and sunrise would be 05.43