The government will this week signal if it could support a proposed strategy to move the clocks forward by an hour, taking it to mainland Europe time.
Campaign group Lighter Later, which is lobbying for the move, claim that darker mornings and lighter evenings will cut energy consumption and save almost 500,000 tonnes of CO2 every winter. Apparently moving 60 minutes ahead will cut carbon emissions and boost UK economy, as the number of visitors to the British Isles could increase. Longer evenings would also increase the opportunity for post-work outdoor pursuits.
Now more overseas visitors would surely mean a surge in air traffic and more cars on UK roads, unless people swim across the channel to reach the British shores? And darker, longer mornings would only make us reach for heaters and indoor lamps to 'lighten up' our day a bit more?
I grew up in an area where summers equals perpetual daylight. Needless to say, we rarely use artificial light during the warmer months as the sky never darkens. But winters are long, cold and dark. What do people do? Reach for artificial light sources of course to ensure it doesn't get too gloomy.
I know it's only talk about one hour, but some voices have raised concern about what it would say for UK farmers. Unlike humans, it's not that easy (I imagine) to re-programme cows to be milked one hour later or for hens to lay eggs later to fit in with the new time.
Perhaps Britain and the rest of the countries adhering to summer- and wintertime should just agree to shift the clocks to permanent summertime?
