Should winter days remain lighter for longer? - your response
Thank you to everyone who took part in my most recent e-consultation : Should winter days remain lighter for longer?
With more than 200 replies more than two thirds of the respondents were against the proposal to move to GMT+1 in winter and GMT+2 in summer.
- 32% of those polled answered Yes
- 68% of those polled answered No
Common arguments against the proposal included:
- Lighter mornings make travelling to school safer for children as fewer parents are inclined to take their kids in the car, reducing the danger at the school gates
- Travelling to and from work in the dark may encourage SAD coming home in the dark is less important psychologically
- Farming communities and outdoor workers would be detrimentally affected by the later sunrise in winter
Common arguments for the proposal included:
- We no longer get up with the lark and go to bed when the sun goes down - given the change in our sleeping patterns more daylight in the evening would be preferable
- The change would bring the UK in line with most of the rest of Europe
- A number of parents indicated that an extra hour of daylight after school would help to encourage their children to be more active in winter
On Friday 3 December the Daylight Saving Private Members Bill was debated in the House of Commons, which voted for the Bill to be sent to a Public Bill Committee to be scrutinised clause by clause - albeit with some vocal opposition from some fellow Scottish MPs.
You can read the debate here: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2010-12-03a.1083.2 The Bill would require the Government to conduct a cross-departmental analysis of the potential costs and benefits of advancing time by one hour for all, or part of, the year. If this analysis finds that a clock change would benefit the UK, the Bill requires that the Government initiate a trial clock change to determine the full implications.
I will endeavour to let you know of any developments.
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