The South West's regional tourism economy stands to gain an estimated £350 million extra revenue each year, if the UK moves clocks forward an hour and we reclaim an hour of daily light each evening.
The campaign for daylight saving has gathered momentum recently as the benefits of double summertime are becoming increasingly recognised, not just by the tourism industry but by politicians and business groups. Benefits include an increase in leisure activities promoting a healthier lifestyle, a reduction in crime (backed by The Metropolitan Police), a reduction in accidents (backed by Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents), a reduction in energy usage and carbon emissions (backed by Greenpeace) and an increase in jobs through increased leisure activities including leisure, food and drink and retail (backed by the tourism sector). The campaign also now has cross party support in Westminster.
South West Tourism along with Event Exeter (Exeter University) and BALPPA are encouraging businesses to back the campaign through meetings with regional and national business leaders and politicians from all parties.
For more details see our previous feature.
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Comments
Angela Wright, Angela Wright
There are so many compelling reasons to introduce daylight saving. The three most obvious are:Improved quality of life in the UK - making use of available daylight Improved safety - preventing hundreds of deaths and serious injuriesImproved economy - boosting earnings by £bns, tens of thousands new jobs, saving peak time fuel costs, preventing unnecessary carbon output.There seems to be cross-party consensus and only marginal opposition from anyone in the UK. The NFUs in England, Wales and Scotland are not opposed.British people hate waste. Why are we wasting the light and warmth of the sun?This can be introduced easily in October 2011 by not putting the clocks back; in time to benefit the Olympics here in 2012. If we were brave and serious about quality of life, saving lives, boosting the economy, minimising carbon, then this could even be introduced in October 2010.
Comment made: Monday 29th March 2010
ritch bounds
I fully support this campaign it woulds help people on night shift to be able to get some sleep when they come home. Are you starting a petituion for this?
Comment made: Monday 22nd March 2010
Tom Mullarkey, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
This is a great idea, long overdue. It's time we stopped a few naysayers from stopping 60 million people's lives being improved, at no cost. I like to think the best of people - who would really put their own convenience ahead of the opportunity to help save somebody's life?
Comment made: Monday 22nd March 2010
matthew taylor
I think this is a great idea. The everage person in this country spends hoars sleeping through light for what adds up to hundereds of hours per year. Let's use it in the evening's after the rush hour has finished. 30 milion housholds switching on their lights an hour later and the millions of streetlamps going on an hour later must be a huge saving in energy and environmental cost. Heat too as obviously the watts per sqaure meter is greater in the light and whillst asleep we are under a quilt with ours eyes shut and not needing the heat and light (average brit up at 7am ish). It would also help tourism and SAD sufferers. I can have more lovely evening walks or bike rides which benefits health. I sympathise with the Scottish. With devolution could it be suggested that Westmister allows them the power to control their time to whatever they feel is most advantageuos to themselves, but I feel this definately makes sense for all UK South of Scotland.
Comment made: Monday 22nd March 2010
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