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Zac's BlogReturn to WebsiteTime for a change A few weeks ago I co-sponsored the so-called Daylight Savings Bill in Parliament. If it succeeds, we will see a permanent change to UK time to give us an extra hour of daylight in the evening. The Government will be required to conduct a proper analysis of the costs and advantages, and if the maths stacks up, the shift will happen. It is not the first time the issue will have been debated, but the voices against the move have always prevailed. However, historic opposition now appears to be melting. The traditionally hostile National Farmers Union has adopted an officially ‘neutral’ line. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RSPA) has said that it believes the safety benefits of the extra hour in the evening would outweigh the added dangers in the morning. Given that fear of increased road accidents in the darker winter mornings has been one of the main obstacles, this is significant. But the RSPA believes that more than 2,500 deaths were avoided each year when the UK embarked on a three-year trial forty years ago. In addition, the campaign group 10:10, which is behind the ‘Lighter Later’ campaign, claims that the shift would save a staggering 450,000 tonnes of CO2 each year because it would reduce demand to have the lights on. The tourism sector has jumped on the campaign, not surprisingly, because it would effectively mean moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening, when more of us are able to enjoy it. But most important, lighter evenings mean more time for our children to enjoy the outdoors after school. That’s why, as this Bill proceeds through parliament, I will be arguing for it to become law. For The Richmond Informer, Friday 13 August Archive Zac Goldsmith: Real Local Democracy Zac Goldsmith for The Richmond Informer: True Democracy Zac Goldsmith: Election Spending and Channel 4 Zac Goldsmith for The Richmond Informer: The Budget Zac Goldsmith for The Richmond Informer: Maiden Speech Zac Goldsmith for The Richmond Informer: Thank you Zac Goldsmith: In Praise of the BBC Zac Goldsmith: Sea Shepherd needs our support Zac Goldsmith: Here’s another depressing example of modern Britain’s bizarre morality Zac Goldsmith: MP's demand an end to Pig Cruelty Zac Goldsmith: Kingston Hospital: A Lib Dem Scare Story? Zac Goldsmith: Are we civilised? Zac Goldsmith: Councils CAN stop garden grabbing Zac Goldsmith: Sunday Times article Zac Goldsmith: Sense about Science? Zac Goldsmith: Answers Lib Dem Smears The Guardian: The Big Green Bogey Man Zac Goldsmith: How have the BNP been allowed to make political capital? Zac Goldsmith: Here's what's wrong with Politics Reversing Labour's tendency to police, regulate and ban will create a more successful and caring society. Evening Standard: A bright green future beckons... Hacan: Richmond: The 2nd most overflown borough in London Zac Goldsmith: Richmond’s Lib Dems: “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story” Zac Goldsmith: Turning Green into Gold Zac's Book - The Constant Economy Oncom: My surefire cure for voter apathy Babelgum: Zac: Humans as parasites Oncom: Only one way to reform parliament Earth Restoration Services: Put your hand up to 'Restore the Earth' Oncom: Why is the council spying on us? Zac Goldsmith: Why the Ecologist magazine has gone online... Oncom: Ban the bag in Richmond! The Independent: Zac Goldsmith: You ask the questions! Conservatives: The Low Carbon Economy Oncom: Revolution in Democracy Times Online: Regular referendums will revive democracy Social Market Foundation: Politicians must share power or lose it Richmond & Twickenham Times: We need to keep Runway Alternation Policy Exchange: Keeping the environment at the top of the agenda Letter to TLF: Airtrack Scheme concerns Barnes and East Sheen directory: Support our small shops Resouce UK Magazine: Recycling The Evening Standard: Stop building on our gardens The Independent: Fluoride: Is it safe? The Evening Standard: 3rd runway: The wrong answer to the wrong question The Guardian: The New Tories The Evening Standard: Nuclear Power? It's not too late to say, 'No thanks' The Guardian: My tips for Boris Platform 10: Why fuel and food prices are rising Platform 10: Save our small shops The Evening Standard: London just doesnt need a third runway The Daily Telegraph: We cant carry on soaking up resources The Mail on Sunday: Why do we let shops give us all this rubbish? The Daily Telegraph: Locals should have power over developers The Daily Telegraph: Let the free market fight climate change The Ecologist: Sense about Science The Ecologist: The Stern Report The Ecologist: British Children, Mental health problems The Ecologist: NIMBYism The Independent: Don't delete nukes from the menu |
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