'Give us an extra hour of daylight' say Lake District tourism businesses (From The Westmorland Gazette)

'Give us an extra hour of daylight' say Lake District tourism businesses

2:30pm Wednesday 11th January 2012 in News By Steven Bell, Reporter

LAKE District tourism organisations are backing calls to move the clocks forward one hour to boost business.

They believe lighter evenings would allow attractions to stay open longer, extend the tourism season and help the economy.

MPs will vote on the Daylight Saving Bill – which calls for a review of the pros and cons of shifting time forward by an hour for all or part of the year – on January 20.

Cumbria Tourism and Windermere Lake Cruises have both signed up to the Lighter Later campaign, a national ‘coalition’ of road safety chiefs, businesses, environmentalists, health experts and charities.

“In these times of financial constraints, from our perspective, no other zero-cost change would bring as much economic benefit as a change to daylight saving,” said Nigel Wilkinson, chief executive of Windermere Lake Cruises.

And according to Richard Greenwood, head of policy and research at Cumbria Tourism: “The extra daylight hours that the bill would 'create' will most certainly have the spin off of extending the day for visitors and allowing more time outdoors.

“It should make Cumbria more competitive, increase visitor spending and sustain jobs in the industry.”

Both men have signed a letter to MPs from groups across northern England which says: “We have two of the UK’s most beautiful national parks on our doorstep. Giving ourselves and others more time to enjoy them would bring both health and economic benefits to the region.

“Tourism provides 32,000 jobs in Cumbria alone, and brings knock-on benefits to many businesses.”

The letter says the review of time changes will make ‘a persuasive case for change to an outdated status quo.’ It concludes: “Given the economic, environmental and health benefits change could bring, the time is surely right to reconsider clock settings.”

Road safety campaigners also back the review, saying there are more accidents during afternoons and evenings and the change would save lives.

And climate change activists say decreased use of lighting would help to save energy.

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