06 December 2010

From: Brake, the road safety charity, PO Box 548, Huddersfield, HD1 2XZ
Tel: 01484 559909 Out of hours: 07976 069159 E-mail:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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On Friday there was a great leap forward for a campaign that has been rumbling along for decades, but which has burst to the fore in the past 12 months. The Daylight Saving Bill passed at its second reading. If it becomes legislation it will compel the Government to review and act upon the evidence for putting the clocks forward by an hour year-round.

This would mean lighter evenings, fewer carbon emissions and fewer deaths and injuries on our roads. It would mean more of our daylight time would fall during hours when we’re awake, and we would all (school children in particular) have more time to get home in the evenings before darkness closes in.

It’s quite astounding the knock on effect this would have when you look at the numbers: cutting carbon emissions by about 447,000 tonnes per year, reducing road deaths by about 80 per year, and increasing the amount of leisure time we have during daylight hours on average by one-third.

And if we’re talking numbers, the economic benefits are pretty convincing too: £138million per year saved through prevented road casualties, a £2.5-3.5billion boost for the leisure and tourism industry, lower power bills for pretty much all of us. And the costs? A measly £5million to tell people the good news.

It’s perhaps no wonder that the Lighter Later campaign has won such substantial backing, but hats off to the 10:10 team for making it happen.

Read more about the Lighter Later campaign