Thursday 3 March 2011

Is Double Summertime (DST) on the way?

Is double summertime (BST) on the way to Yorkshire and the UK? The government's eagerly awaited official tourism strategy is due to be published any day now. At the heart of the strategy could well be a decision to back 'double summertime' - putting the clocks forward to British Summer Time plus one hour in summer, as well as having the clocks one hour ahead of GMT in winter. ie British Summer time in winter! Some in Scotland will be unhappy as daylight is worse there in winter. However, in Yorkshire, two extra hours of daylight in the summer evenings could make a holiday here much more attractive in the spring and autumn. There are also said to be significant benefits for the environment - with lower levels of energy consumption. The estimates are that the tourism industry in the UK will benefit to the tune of £3.5 billion extra per year - a major boost in this year of uncertainty.