Residents in Bridlington are being reminded to turn their clocks back by one hour at 2am tonight (Sunday 26 October) as British Summer Time (BST) officially ends and the UK returns to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
The change means lighter mornings but darker evenings, a shift that has become a familiar feature of British life for over a century. While many people welcome the extra hour in bed, emergency services and road safety groups in East Yorkshire are urging caution as the darker afternoons can lead to an increase in accidents.
A spokesperson for Humberside Police said:
“We often see a rise in road collisions at this time of year, particularly involving pedestrians and cyclists. We’re asking drivers in Bridlington to take extra care and ensure lights are working correctly.”
BST was first introduced during the First World War in 1916 to conserve fuel by making better use of daylight hours. The idea was championed by British builder William Willett, who argued that shifting an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening would reduce energy consumption and improve public health.
Today, the change is also seen as a way to make mornings safer for school children and commuters during the darker winter months. However, the debate continues, with some arguing the time shift disrupts sleep and affects businesses in northern regions such as Yorkshire.
The next clock change will take place on 31 March 2026, when BST begins again and the clocks move forward by one hour.
