Motion proposes time change plan

Four members of Guernsey's Policy Council have signed a motion calling for the island to move to French time.

The Health Minister Peter Roffey is taking the idea to the States at the end of the month. He says it could have great environmental benefits.

Deputy Roffey raised the issue of a time switch during a states debate on the islands energy policy.

The requete has been signed by fellow Ministers Dave Jones, Lyndon Trott and Martin Ozanne.

Target date

Other signatories include Ron Le Moignan, Barry Brehaut, Sam Maindonald, Jean Pritchard, Chris Brock, Wendy Morgan, Duncan Staples and Graham Guille as well as the two Alderney representatives.

But business leaders say shifting to a different time zone from the UK would be foolish and could be a barrier to new business.

Other islanders have concerns over the safety of children going to school in the winter months.

The petitioners have set a target date of March 2009 for the time change.