People urged to mark World Car-Free Day

Motorists are being urged to ditch their vehicles and ‘get more active’ to mark World Car-Free Day.

People will be encouraged to walk, scoot or cycle, instead of driving, to mark the date on 22 September – and boost their health and the environment.

It follows a notice of motion put before Cheshire East Council by Councillor Suzie Akers-Smith calling on Cheshire East to promote car-free travel and encourage local town and parish councils and community groups to organise mini pop-up ‘parklets’ and events on that date.

World Car-Free Day encourages motorists to give up their cars for a day, with organised events held in many towns and cities. The events give motorists and local residents the opportunity to re-imagine their communities with fewer cars.

Councillor Suzie Akers-Smith, Cheshire East Council’s cycling and walking champion, said: “World Car-Free Day is a great opportunity to re-imagine our streets and focus them around people and a healthier environment.  

“Parklets – informal miniature parks created by temporary road closures – are one opportunity where local communities can experience what happens when parking spaces are changed into areas for community use, with benches, seats and planters, for example.

“Ditching the car is also an opportunity to walk, scoot or cycle instead – and I would urge people to take up ‘footstep Fridays’ or ‘cycle Saturdays’ as alternatives to driving. Being more active is not only good for our physical and mental health but also good for our climate, air quality, our local communities and our pockets – especially as fuel prices spiral upwards. 

“The most important step to being more active is the first step and making a regular commitment to ‘footstep Friday’ or ‘cycle Saturday’ will encourage us to do more.

“We all benefit from travelling more on foot and by bike and I am proud that Cheshire East Council supports cycling and more-active travel, for all the benefits it brings to people and their communities.

“We want people to have the courage to dream big and imagine how our communities and environment could be improved if there were fewer cars and people walked, cycled and scooted more. 

“World Car-Free Day is an opportunity to reset how we think about travel to help ourselves, our communities and our planet.”

World Car-Free Day is championed in the UK by transport charity Living Streets, which suggests ways you can help support this year’s campaign, and transform your street into a place for seating, cycle parking or cycle lanes, gardens, play areas or art areas. 

Any community applications for temporary road/street closures, to facilitate parklets or other events to mark World Car-Free Day, will need to be made before 22 July to meet the legal notice period deadline. Organisers should email their proposal to Cheshire East’s highways team at: 

Cheshireeastraffic@cheshireeasthighways.org. 

Al fresco temporary pavement licences, which are free, would also be needed to facilitate any temporary street seating or parklets.
Any proposed World Car-Free Day event that includes the sale of food or drink may need additional permits from the council’s regulatory services. To apply/discuss, email: 

commercialservices@cheshireeast.govuk. 

In cases where alcohol is to be served or entertainment provided, promoters should examine whether this requires any additional licences from the council’s licensing service. Email:  

licensing_CE@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

Further information about World Car-Free Day is available here: 

Living Streets website.