Cheshire East's cycling and walking champion is calling on the council to support towns and villages who want to host car-free days.

Cllr Suzie Akers Smith (Ind) has put forward a motion to Thursday's meeting of the full council requesting a communications plan be developed, explaining how residents and communities in towns and villages can host a car-free day.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that groups and residents in some towns had already expressed an interest.

"We don't have anything like that in Cheshire East and I know Knutsford wants car-free days, Crewe wants them, Alsager wants a car-free environment for a period of time so they can enjoy their town centre, Audlem said it when I went to their festival last year," said the Congleton councillor.

"I know Macctastic in Macclesfield, they've been desperate for a car-free day."

Macclesfield Climate Action group Macctastic responded to a Macclesfield Nub News request for comment.

Macctastic Transport Lead David Mayers said: "I wouldn't say we are desperate for such a day in Macclesfield. But what we are desperate for is a transport system which is sustainable and encourages active travel.

"This means having affordable public transport, better facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, and lower speed limits in residential and shopping streets.

"Many drivers don't think about walking or cycling for short journeys; they are so used to using their cars for every journey that they don't think about the alternatives. A car-free day will encourage people to try out walking or cycling or public transport, and we hope be surprised at how easy and cheap it is, and how good it feels.

"That could be the first step to getting fewer cars on our congested streets, less pollution and congestion and more active travel which results in a healthier population and less pressure on the NHS."

World Car Free Day is on September 22 this year – a Thursday. It encourages public transport or active modes of travel, instead of private petrol-guzzling cars, which drive up rates of air pollution.

When asked whether it was practical as people had to get to work, Cllr Akers Smith said: "The intention of a car-free day is to encourage people to think of a different way of travelling."

"And also it's about closing off the town centre to vehicles, so you can use your car to get to work but don't use your car to get to the town centre, either walk or cycle or get a bus if you can.

"Then the town centre is used for businesses to spill out on to the streets with tables, chairs etc and it gives more space for people who use mobility aids to get around.

"Rather than squeezing people off the pavement, they can actually go in the road and there's a space for kids to come down on their scooter or roller skates. You've got an empty space and can just enjoy it without fear of being run over by a car."

She added: "You can't get rid of cars, we're not trying to do that.

"It probably does need to be on a weekend and trial it certainly one day a month to start off with to see how people like it, whether the businesses can make money out of it and to encourage an area that's safe for people to be.

"I'm hoping it would generate income for the high street which would really help them at the moment. People think if you can't take your car into the town centre the town centre will die, but it actually has the opposite effect because people will walk or ride their bike to the town centre so they'll stay there a little bit longer."

The notice of motion also proposes introducing parklets within the high street for businesses before World Car Free Day.

Parklets are usually an extended platform over a parking space or pavement extension and may include benches, tables, chairs, landscaping or bike parking, for example.

The motion has been seconded by Cllr Denis Murphy (Congleton East, Lib Dem) and is on the agenda for Thursday's (February 24) meeting of the full council.

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