Isra-Mart srl:Campaign to scrap daylight saving gathers pace

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MPs tell Cameron to trial extending British Summer Time to ease the transition to a low-carbon economy.

David Cameron has been urged by MPs to experiment with extending British Summer Time (BST) through the winter to save money and energy for homes and businesses across the UK.

Tim Yeo, chairman of the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee, issued the call last week after hearing evidence from experts at Cambridge University and National Grid.

"There is a real head of steam building up behind this proposal in Parliament now – and it's due to be voted on in December," he said. "I am calling on the government to launch a full-scale trial. Until we do this we will all be in the dark about whether this idea really could help us to meet our climate change targets without costing the taxpayer a penny."

The call throws weight behind the daylight saving bill, tabled by by Conservative MP Rachel Harris, which is due to have its second reading on 3 December.

Researchers at Cambridge University told the Energy and Climate Change Committee that the UK could save up to 447,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually by better aligning the waking hours of the UK population with the daylight available. Researchers said the savings would be equivalent to taking 172,000 cars off the road.

Officials from National Grid added that the measure could potentially ease the UK's path to producing 15 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020, because extending BST would flatten peak demand.

Keeping BST could reduce peak electricity demand in autumn and spring by 1GWh, the equivalent of the hourly output of a large power station, they said.

Elizabeth Garnsey, emeritus reader in innovation studies at Cambridge University's Institute for Manufacturing, said a five-year trial was needed to test the benefits and disadvantages.

Cameron is likely to consider the call carefully as he has already hinted he is in favour of a change. The introduction of the bill was also backed by Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and Conservative green advocate Zac Goldsmith.

Proponents of the bill claim it would also deliver substantial commercial and economic benefits, not least because it would allow businesses to synchronise their watches with companies in western Europe.

Experts also predict that the change could provide a boost to the tourist and leisure industries through lighter evenings and help reduce the number of car accidents in the winter.

"The starkest evidence is on the likely reduction in road deaths – and it's almost beyond belief that the government hasn't looked at this sooner," said Yeo.

However, opponents argue the change would impose longer and darker mornings in Scotland, where the sun would not rise until 10am in some areas.

Scottish secretary Michael Moore issued a statement to Vince Cable last week making it clear he opposes a shift in Scotland's daylight hours and claiming the majority of business leaders in Scotland are against a shift to CST.