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March 19, 2006
Single Double Summer Time
The Bill would create a three-year experiment in adopting Single Double
Summer Time (SDST), starting from October 29 this year. Clocks would be
advanced one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time during the winter and
two hours ahead of GMT during the summer. The experiment would cease on
October 25, 2009.
...
Right-wing critics say the Bill is simply a way of harmonising Britain with Central European Time and part of a pro-European plot. There is also concern that the change could adversely affect farmers, milkmen and postal workers.
Lord Tanlaw said £1billion a year could be gained from increased tourism due to an extended season. "Lighter evenings will also allow children time to boot a ball about," he said.
Not sure I woud go so far as to say this is a European plot but there have been those in the past who have advocated the same on those grounds, that we should be in the same time zone as most of Europe.
Sigh. We’re further west so of course we’re in a different time zone. Has anyone spoken to Eire about this? Will N Ireland join in or not? We here in Portugal are also on GMT...but as we’re even further west than most of Ireland no one suggests the change here.
Oh, and as to the extra tourism brining in a billion. Does the Noble Lord realise that all and every international transport correction will now have to be revised? All trains, planes and boats will be cocked? How much will that cost?
March 19, 2006 in European Union | Permalink
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» Lighter Evenings - the return from Murky.org
Almost out of nowhere, the Lighter Evenings bill has made a comeback in the form of a three year experiment beginning with the clocks not going back this year. The bill is currently in the Lords, but has not been... [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 19, 2006 11:30:32 AM
Comments
Great Britain's no more westerly than Spain, surely? I think it would be a good idea - if Scottish farmers are important enough to stick to GMT then let them, surely devolution can adjust for that?
Posted by: Matthew | Mar 19, 2006 10:21:45 AM
Further to the west than, say, Brittany?
As for revising timetables, that happens every year anyway. What's the issue?
Lighter evenings at the expense of darker mornings? Great.
Posted by: Murk | Mar 19, 2006 10:51:29 AM
This, surely, is the second such experiment? q.v. http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.344
Posted by: Chris Lightfoot | Mar 20, 2006 4:28:45 PM
