RoSPA ANGERED BY LIGHTER EVENINGS SETBACK

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has expressed frustration and anger that a Bill to help save scores of lives on UK roads was talked out of the House of Commons January 2012.
Despite widespread popular support in the UK, the backing of the Government, and more than 120 MPs, Rebecca Harris’s Daylight Saving Bill was effectively killed by just a few politicians.
The Bill was simply calling for a cross-departmental review of the benefits of Single/Double Summer Time (GMT+1 in winter / GMT+2 in summer). If the evidence proved compelling - and was accepted by all UK governments - it could have triggered a trial.
RoSPA has been campaigning on this issue for decades. All the evidence suggests that lighter evenings would make the UK's road users safer. Figures cited by the Department for Transport show that by providing an extra hour of evening daylight all year round, about 80 deaths and at least 200 serious injuries would be prevented on our roads each year.
Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA’s chief executive, said: "We are bitterly disappointed that years of campaigning have been unwound so casually in this cynical, and undemocratic, way.
“It is outrageous that a proposal with so much support, and that has the potential to save lives, create jobs and cut carbon emissions, has effectively been wrecked by just two or three politicians. They should be ashamed that their contrived interventions have scuppered this opportunity to ease the suffering of many families in this country, the people whose lives they were elected to protect.
“Given the strength of feeling and support behind this cause we'll continue to work with 10:10’s Lighter Later coalition to push for change.
“As such, we call on the Government to either give the Bill more time, or for the Business Minister Ed Davey to conduct a proper review of the evidence for change himself.
“I would also like to praise Rebecca Harris MP for her tremendous leadership and commitment to this issue. She steered her Private Members’ Bill through Parliament with great skill and determination.”