A local group which ran a parking survey in Alsager has revealed the results.

Action for Alsager gathered a sample of nearly 1,000 people from residents, businesses, visitors and residents from neighbouring villages.

The key findings were that 99 per cent of respondents are opposed to any introduction of car parking charges in Alsager.

The survey also revealed that 92.8 per cent use car parks for retail, 75.1 per cent visiting hospitality venues. 61.6 per cent attending local events and 58.7 per cent accessing local services.

Ninety-nine per cent also strongly agreed that "free parking helps the vitality of Alsager's town centre" and 94.8 per cent strongly agreed that parking charges would make on-street parking problems worse.

Alsager Nub News revealed here that a public consultation process had opened about proposed parking charges. 

(Image: Action for Alsager)

Action for Alsager is a Labour campaign to deliver for Alsager, run by the Alsager Branch Labour Party and a team of local councillors.

A spokesperson for Action for Alsager said: "These results clearly show the strong opposition to charges in Alsager and the surrounding area.

"It also shows that our retail and hospitality businesses rely on our car parks. Local events that also help boost the local economy would also be bit negatively as many use our car parks to attend such events.

"The ability of residents in Alsager and beyond to access key local services (as Alsager is one of Cheshire East's key service centres) would be impaired due to charges.

"This isn't without mentioning the residential parking uses of Fanny's Croft and Well Lane, and the school drop off for Highfields on Fairview car park.

"The vitality of our high street depends on free parking. Residents already pay for our car parks through their council tax."

They add: "The main driver for Cheshire East pursuing this review is poor local government funding and budget pressures after 13 years of cuts, pressures of adult social care and high inflation.

"This why we will be lobbying Alsager's MP Fiona Bruce & the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for better local government funding with an open letter that anyone can sign, which will be published this week.

"We are opposed to the introduction of car parking charges in Alsager and are working with colleagues across the spectrum at Alsager Town Council to campaign against these proposals."