Cheshire East has hit out at 'false information' about 15-minute cities and stressed the council has no plans to introduce any rules to restrict freedom of movement.

The idea behind a 15-minute city is that residents have access to everything they need – work, shops, medical services, parks, leisure facilities – all within a 15-minute walk or short cycling distance from where they live.

But opponents have taken to social media claiming the concept is a sinister attempt to restrict freedom of movement and fine people who don't comply.

And protests recently took place in Oxford.

Cllr Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Cheshire East Council has been made aware there are some residents that have been left alarmed – through social media campaigns and fringe media outlets – by false information stating the concept of '15-minute cities' are a means of controlling the freedom and movement of the population.

Cllr Mick Warren (Photo: Cheshire East Council)

"We are not looking to introduce any highway management arrangements that seek to constrain residents' civil liberties in Crewe, or indeed anywhere in the borough. I can categorically say this suggestion is entirely untrue and has no substance."

He continued: "Though we cannot speak to the motives of the people pursuing this campaign, we can say the concept of the 15-minute city has been badly misrepresented.

"This concept is to make more convenient neighbourhoods as well as improve the wellbeing of residents by reducing traffic and pollution, which government statistics say contribute to 28,000 to 36,000 per year deaths in the UK."

Cllr Warren (Macclesfield, Ind) said Cheshire East continues to introduce local traffic measures that improve local neighbourhoods.

"The council also promotes active travel and other ways to decrease carbon emissions to mitigate climate change, which is an existential threat to civilisation," he said.

"The world is already suffering the effects of climate change, it is disinformation campaigns like the one currently being waged that has hampered the progress that should have already been made globally. We cannot let it distract from the real work which needs to be done in decoupling ourselves from fossil fuels and decarbonising the economy."