The borough's cycling and walking champion will be presenting a motion to council on 16 December for 20's Plenty in 2020.

In her role, Cllr Suzie Akers Smith, has claimed that "nobody" contacts her requesting for speed limits to be increased, it is "only to reduce them".

The Congleton West Ward councillor continued: "It is always for measures to protect the vulnerable, which is what this measure does. I receive and reply to over 1200 emails each month.

Here is Cllr Akers Smith's summary of her motion:

Cheshire East is a caring council, where the needs of residents come first. Twenty miles per hour speed limits improve quality of life, helping to create places where walking, cycling, conversations and playing are prioritised over vehicle traffic.

Twenty miles per hour speed limits are supported by many bodies including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health, Alzheimer's Society, Cycling UK, World Health Organisation, Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Transition Towns and cities, towns and parish councils and community groups.

Thirty miles per hour speed limit was created in 1934 and has never been reviewed, despite a significant increase in number of vehicles from 1.5 million to 40 million.

The speed and weight of vehicles kills five people every day in the UK, which prevents people from feeling safe walking and cycling.

Reducing the default speed limit to 20mph on most urban and residential roads except where it is safe and compatible with community needs for it to be 30mph, will encourage parents to allow their children to walk and cycle to school, creates safety for those using mobility aids and the partially sighted and will help many people feel safer cycling on the

roads because lower speeds make the environment feel safer.

This change will also reduce congestion, improve air quality and improve the fitness of the borough's residents, as well as improve the economies of town centres by making them nicer places for people to want to spend time in.

In 2019 Cheshire East Council committed to fight climate change and implementing a default 20mph speed limit in areas where there is a mix of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists will help us achieve this.

Cllr Akers Smith added: "It is the speed of vehicles that kills people in our borough. Measures to reduce traffic speeds in areas where there is a high mix of pedestrian and cyclist movements will enable residents to feel safer cycling and walking more and reduce the number of casualties and fatalities on Cheshire East roads.

"The government is taking this seriously and we should too."

I urge councillors to make a real change to their communities and vote in

support of this much needed motion and join 21million other people in this country who have adopted the same policy, a default 20mph in central, urban and residential areas across the borough, unless where it is safe and compatible with community needs for it to be 30mph.

The Motion for 20's Plenty in 2020 to:

1. Introduce a default 20mph speed limit in central, urban and residential areas - not a

blanket measure.

1. To work with town and parish councils and community, collaboratively and financially.
2. To start implementation from January 2021, full roll-out may take 2-3 years.
3. To work with Cheshire police to help enforce the speed limits.