Government tourism strategy backs extending daylight hours

The Government’s tourism strategy, due to be published at the end of the week, will say that 'double summertime’ should be considered as a way of boosting tourism in the UK. The move, which is supported by a number of business and travel organisations, including the Tourism Alliance, RAC and Road Safety GB, would put the UK in the same time zone as continental Europe.

CO2 reductions
According to campaign group, Lighter Later, which is backing the change, 'double summertime’ would save an estimated 447,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each winter through energy saved from the switch and would bring over £3 billion into the economy from increased leisure activities and tourism and create 80,000 new jobs.

If adopted, the change would see Britain push its clocks forward one hour, as usual. However, in the winter, they would not be set back. The following spring, they would subsequently be pushed forward another hour.

Increased support
Support for the change seems to be gaining momentum in Westminster. A Coalition Government source told to the Mail Online: "The Government wants to listen to the tourism industry, the people whose livelihoods depend on welcoming people here, as it plots the way forward."

"The tourism industry has been crying out for extra daylight saving for years. It could extend the tourist season and boost the economy by up to £3.5billion a year," Conservative MP Rebecca Harris, who has tabled a private member’s bill supporting moving the clocks forward, told The Sunday Telegraph.

Opposition
However, any change would need the agreement of the devolved authorities and those who oppose it, including many in Scotland, say later sunrises could put children at risk on their way to school, interfere with farmers’ work schedules and possibly increase the number of car accidents.

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