Guide · 4 min read
Clocks go back 2026: driving in the dark
The clocks go back one hour at 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026. From the Monday, sunset in London is at 4.46pm and in Edinburgh at 4.47pm, so the evening rush hour is driven in the dark until spring. Here is what changes, what the Highway Code says about lights, and what to check before you set off.
When do the clocks go back?
On the last Sunday of October, at 2am, the clocks go back one hour from British Summer Time (BST) to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). In 2026 that is Sunday 25 October. They go forward again on the last Sunday of March, 28 March 2027.
| Sunset Sat 24 Oct (BST) | Sunset Mon 26 Oct (GMT) | Sunset 21 Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 5.50pm | 4.46pm | 3.53pm |
| Cardiff | 6.02pm | 4.58pm | 4.05pm |
| Edinburgh | 5.52pm | 4.47pm | 3.39pm |
| Belfast | 6.06pm | 5.01pm | 3.59pm |
Calculated with the NOAA solar equations, to the nearest minute. Lighting-up time, as the Highway Code defines night, starts half an hour after sunset.
The mornings get lighter for a few weeks, with sunrise in London back to about 6.40am, but the gain does not last: by mid-December sunrise is after 8am in London and nearer 8.45am in Edinburgh and Belfast.
What changes on the road
- The evening commute and the school run home move from daylight into dusk and darkness overnight, on the same roads at the same times.
- Pedestrians and cyclists are harder to see, especially in dark clothing on unlit roads and at junctions.
- Low sun in the morning and the late afternoon dazzles drivers heading east or west, worst on a wet road.
- Nights are colder: the first frosts, and wet leaves on the road, lengthen stopping distances.
- Tiredness comes earlier: driving in the dark after a full day is when attention drops.
What the Highway Code says about lights
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| 113 | Sidelights and rear number plate lights must be on between sunset and sunrise. Use headlights at night, except on roads with lit street lighting, and whenever visibility is seriously reduced. Night is from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise. |
| 114 | Do not use lights in a way that dazzles other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. Do not use fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced, and switch them off when it improves. |
| 115 | Use dipped headlights at night in built-up areas and in dull daytime weather, so you can be seen. Keep headlights dipped when overtaking until you are level. Slow down, and stop if necessary, if oncoming headlights dazzle you. |
Rules 113 to 115 of the Highway Code, summarised. Where the Code says MUST, it is the law.
Before you drive in the dark
- Walk round the car: headlights, dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators and number plate light.
- Clean the windscreen inside and out: a smeared screen scatters the glare of oncoming lights.
- Check the wiper blades and top up the screenwash with one rated for cold weather.
- Leave more room: double the gap on a wet road, more if it is icy.
- Check your route for incidents and tonight's closures before the drive home.
Closures and incidents after dark
Most planned motorway closures start in the evening, usually from 8pm, and reopen before 6am, so they fall after the evening rush. Incidents are another matter: Live Roads shows accidents, breakdowns and closures as the official sources publish them, with the time of each update, on the live map and on each road's page.
Questions
- When do the clocks go back in 2026?
- At 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026. The clocks go back one hour, from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time.
- Do I get an extra hour?
- Back: at 2am the time becomes 1am, so you get an extra hour that night. Phones and most car clocks connected to the internet change on their own; older car clocks have to be set by hand.
- What time does it get dark after the clocks go back?
- On Monday 26 October 2026, sunset is at 4.46pm in London, 4.58pm in Cardiff, 4.47pm in Edinburgh and 5.01pm in Belfast. By 21 December it is between about 3.40pm and 4.05pm.
- When must I use headlights?
- At night, from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, except on roads with lit street lighting, and whenever visibility is seriously reduced (Highway Code rule 113). Sidelights must be on between sunset and sunrise.