IF KNUTSFORD is going to thrive as a town people need to be able to walk safely in the town centre.

So said Cllr Stewart Gardiner as the town council gave its backing to proposed changes to traffic flow and car parking in the town centre.

The aim of the proposed traffic and parking scheme produced by a town centre working group is to limit vehicles in the town centre, making more space for pedestrians while providing adequate parking around the centre.

The proposals envisage changing Princess Street and King Street to access roads instead of through roads, making better use of on and off-road parking spaces, encouraging the development of at least one CEC multi-storey car park, reducing parking bays on King and Princess Streets, reserving most for blue badge holders, and enforcing no parking regulations and double yellow lines.

More than 650 people responded to a public consultation, which the town council said showed substantial support for the proposals.

The town council agreed at its meeting on Monday to ask Cheshire East Council for resources to investigate the proposals in detail, with a view to implementing a programme of changes to traffic and parking in Knutsford town centre.

Cllr Christopher Gray called for the town council to progress the ideas with CEC as the majority of residents and businesses now favoured ensuring ‘our lovely historic town centre’ was fit for purpose and able to provide for additional residents in the future.

“In light of the changing national habits taking place in shopping we need to make sure our town centre is financially viable,” he said.

“To do that we need to increase footfall, and the only way to do that is to be able to separate successfully pedestrians from vehicles.”

Cllr Elizabeth Beswick said she couldn’t see how the proposed changes to traffic flow would improve the footfall into the town.

“It would reduce it because it would make traffic flow in the town quite complicated, going round in three circles and frustrating drivers.

“It’s really important to the vibrancy of the town for people to be able to get in and out quickly for short periods, park wherever possible and pop into shops.

“The proposed traffic flow system would make it too complicated – it would deter people.”

Cllr Stewart Gardiner disagreed with Cllr Beswick, saying the majority of the population of Knutsford wanted a better town centre environment.

“If Knutsford is going to thrive people need to be able to walk safely in the middle of the town,” he said.

“That cannot be achieved on the narrow pavements we currently have. We are preventing anybody with mobility impairment coming into the town and using it in a way the able-bodied can.

“We are also preventing many parents with young children who have to push buggies from using the town properly.”