Residents on an Arctic Norwegian island with 69 days of constant light in the summer say they want to go "time-free" and be more flexible with school and working hours to make the most of the long days.

Resident Kjell Ove Hveding says people on the island of Sommaroey — north of the Arctic Circle — should get rid of traditional business opening hours and "conventional time-keeping" because the sun doesn't set from May 18 to July 26.

He said Wednesday he met with a Norwegian lawmaker on June 13 to hand over a petition signed by dozens of islanders for a "time-free zone" and discuss its practical and legal challenges.

Sitting west of Tromsoe, the island — the name of which literally means Summer Island — has a population of 350 and fishery and tourism are the main industries.