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20 February 2011
Last updated at 06:09 ET
Longer and brighter evenings could move a step closer this week with a government proposal to move UK clocks forward, in line with most of Europe.
A "tourism strategy" will include a plan to move the clocks ahead by an hour throughout the year, bringing lighter evenings but darker mornings.
Tourism chiefs, safety campaigners and many MPs support the move.
Ministers want to be satisfied the country backs the plan, before giving the go-ahead, the government said.
Last year, Prime Minister David Cameron indicated he was willing to consider a switch.
"The argument will be won when people across the country feel comfortable with the change," he said in August.
"It's up to those who want to make the change to make the argument to try to convince people right across the country that it's a good thing.
"People who like taking part in sporting activity and would like longer days are already quite easy to sway. That's the key to winning this argument."
The proposals will be published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in the coming week, the BBC has been told.
Tourism bosses say the number of overseas visitors would increase if summer evenings were lighter and they estimate the benefits to the economy could total billions of pounds.
But there have been fears expressed in Scotland that putting the clocks forward would increase road accidents in the darker mornings.
A "tourism strategy" will include a plan to move the clocks ahead by an hour throughout the year, bringing lighter evenings but darker mornings.
Tourism chiefs, safety campaigners and many MPs support the move.
Ministers want to be satisfied the country backs the plan, before giving the go-ahead, the government said.
Last year, Prime Minister David Cameron indicated he was willing to consider a switch.
"The argument will be won when people across the country feel comfortable with the change," he said in August.
"It's up to those who want to make the change to make the argument to try to convince people right across the country that it's a good thing.
"People who like taking part in sporting activity and would like longer days are already quite easy to sway. That's the key to winning this argument."
The proposals will be published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in the coming week, the BBC has been told.
Tourism bosses say the number of overseas visitors would increase if summer evenings were lighter and they estimate the benefits to the economy could total billions of pounds.
But there have been fears expressed in Scotland that putting the clocks forward would increase road accidents in the darker mornings.