The government is facing calls to scrap clocks being moved back this October and to retain the British Summer Time throughout winter.

This year the clocks are set to go back an hour on October 25, meaning people will get an extra hour in bed as the clocks revert to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) at 2am.

But The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) says there are a host of “negative impacts on the way we live our lives” when the clocks go back – and says keeping British Summer Time this year is “particularly important” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

RoSPA said on its website: “RoSPA has campaigned against the unnecessary clock change for many years, and is calling on the Government to instead keep British Summer Time all year round.

“We will all be able to enjoy more usable, evening daylight for more of the year, spending time and money doing the things we love.

“This is particularly important as the UK seeks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, to aid the economy and job market within sectors such as hospitality and leisure.”

The society also pointed out research from the RAC Foundation, which found that road traffic collisions increase by 19 per cent in the fortnight after putting the clocks back one hour.

It also said that in 2019, pedestrian deaths rose from 33 in September and 36 in October, to 54 in November and 57 in December.

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RoSPA said: “Every autumn when the clocks go back and sunset suddenly occurs earlier in the day, there are a host of negative impacts on the way we live our lives.

“The number of road casualties rises, with the effects being worse for the most vulnerable road users like children, older people, cyclists and motorcyclists.”

It added: “More than half of people want to scrap the clock change and given the choice, 59 per cent of British people would prefer British Summer Time all year according to a YouGov survey in 2019.

“The same survey also revealed that less than half of people want to keep the clock change, while two in five people actively want to see it scrapped.”

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