Daylight saving bill passes second reading

Date: 6/12/2010

MPs have voted in favour of a bill to increase evening daylight by a majority of 82 at its second reading stage.

The proposed daylight saving legislation is intended to reduce carbon emissions by cutting power consumption as well as making roads in the UK safer and it will now proceed to committee stage having received the endorsement.

Plans will have to undergo cross-departmental analysis in order to determine the potential costs and benefits they offer to the country, with a three-year trial required before any changes are imposed.

A bill was tabled after the 10:10 organisation unveiled its Lighter Later campaign to move clocks forward by one hour in winter and summer in order to lower the country's impact on the environment.

The move has been welcomed by motoring organisations, who claim road deaths would be cut further as drivers would have greater visibility during the evening rush hour in winter.

Ahead of the second reading - which saw 92 MPs vote in favor of the plans and ten against - the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) urged politicians to back the proposals.

Neil Grieg, Director of Policy and Research at the IAM, stated: "The improvement this change might have on road safety is of primary importance. Anything that continues the downward trend in road deaths has got to be a good thing."

Posted by Sarah Bailey