WIREDGOV

With the dark nights drawing in, RoSPA has been recently urging the public to put a stop to “daylight robbery” with the launch of an online poll.

For decades, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has been at the forefront of a crusade to give the UK an extra hour of evening daylight - citing research that shows lighter nights would save 80 lives and prevent more than 200 serious injuries on our roads each year.

Apart from the avoidance of grief and suffering, fewer road accidents would also bring considerable annual savings to taxpayers.

The survey is being unveiled on the back of an impassioned blog by the safety charity's chief executive, Tom Mullarkey. To read what Mr Mullarkey says - and to take part in the poll - visit http://safetygonesane.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/lighting-up-time/.

The clock change campaign is closer to succeeding now than at any time since 1970, thanks to Rebecca Harris MP’s Private Members’ Bill - which passed its second reading in Parliament in December with a huge majority.

To help the Bill clear the next hurdle - and to coincide with the end of British Summer Time in a couple of weeks - RoSPA is calling on the public to help convince Westminster of its popularity. People can also do this by clicking the "Support Our Campaign" button at www.rospa.com/about/currentcampaigns/lighter-evenings/.

If successful, the Bill will lead to the Government carrying out a cross-departmental analysis of the benefits of Single/Double Summer Time (GMT+1 in winter / GMT+2 in summer) - which in turn could trigger a three-year trial.

Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA’s chief executive, said: "Now that darkness is about to descend - and with it an almost inevitable spike in road accidents at twilight - we need to rekindle the debate.

"With Rebecca Harris's Daylight Saving Bill about to be discussed in the House of Commons again, it's time to see some democracy in action.

"And what better way of proving the popularity of a proposal than to let the 'silent majority' have its say through an online poll. For that reason, I urge as many people as possible to join the debate - and to help make a difference."

*The survey result will be revealed by RoSPA’s chief executive, Tom Mullarkey, via Twitter (@RoSPA #clockchange) on Wednesday, October 26. This will be followed by a live hour-long Q&A Twitter session with Mr Mullarkey from 12.30pm.