MEMBERS of Transition Wilmslow met with MP Esther McVey via Zoom conferencing to talk about the resilience of the community and how it can be maintained and improved in the face of shocks such as coronavirus and the climate emergency.

Andrew Backhouse, chairman of Transition Wilmslow, said: “We talked about some of the positive effects of this terrible coronavirus crisis that so many of us have noticed - quieter streets, fewer cars and no plane or traffic noise so we can hear the birds sing again.

“We discussed the potential future impact of Transition Wilmslow’s plan to double tree cover in Wilmslow by 2040 and its proposal to develop a series of green safe routes to school to help children be healthier and safer walking and cycling to school as we all once did.

“Children walking or cycling to school would reduce the impact of cars in our town: fewer potholes, easier parking and less pollution.

“Cars idling outside schools are an issue that has been raised by the Climate Conscious Wilmslow group, which includes many young people and parents, with students expressing serious concerns about the amount of air pollution they are exposed to.

“Esther suggested we work with schools to raise awareness of the pollution caused by idling engines, and was sympathetic to the development of 20mph limits on key green routes."