The Sport and Recreation Alliance is one of the many organisations supporting the ‘Lighter Later’ campaign, which seeks to deliver lighter evenings all year round. Simply put, more light means more sport and recreation across the country. 

• Lighter evenings would increase opportunities for sport and recreation, boosting participation across a wide range of activities and improving levels of physical activity across all age groups.
• The Sport and Recreation worked alongside 10:10, the campaign group which supported Rebecca Harris’ Daylight Savings Bill.
• The Private Member's Bill proposed that an independent review take place to assess the costs and benefits of moving the clocks forward by an hour all year round. Were a positive conclusion to be reached the Government would then have to implement a three year trial change. 

• In November 2011 the Government gave its cautious backing to the Daylight Savings Bill, with the proviso that the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would have to agree to any proposed trial.
• This was greeted positively by a wide range of stakeholders. The tourism industry, road safety organisations and community groups are all backing the campaign, pointing to such benefits as fewer road casualties, reduced carbon dioxide emissions and an estimated £2.5 billion boost to the leisure and tourism industry.
• However, in January 2012 the Daylight Saving Bill was defeated at its Third Reading in the House of Commons. Despite overwhelming Parliamentary support, the Bill was talked out by a handful of MPs.

• The fight for lighter evenings has not been lost, despite the halting of Rebecca Harris' Bill, and the Alliance will continue to work with the Lighter Later coalition to put the case to Government.

For more information please contact Simon Butler.

Please click here to download a PDF copy of this briefing.