PLANS for car-free days in Southampton have been put on hold.

Civic chiefs have put the brakes on proposals to close roads in the city centre one Sunday a month, the Daily Echo can reveal.

As reported, campaigners had suggested the idea to city bosses in an attempt to tackle air pollution.

In April, Southampton City Council (SCC) said it was considering the plans and trying to work out how they could be delivered.

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith had previously criticised plans for car-free days saying they were “too radical” and “damaging” for the local economy.

The authority has now confirmed to be looking into other measures which could include road closures outside schools during peak drop off and pick up times.

Cllr Jacqui Rayment, cabinet member for transport and place at SCC, said: “The council has considered the specific request of campaigners for monthly car free days.

“We are committed to investigate this idea and this may still be a possibility in the future working closely with local campaign groups, however, our focus in the shorter term is to focus on a range of road closures and car free events across the city working with local communities and major event organisers. ”

Over the last year, the city council implemented a timed road closure outside St John’s Primary and Nursery School in the city centre and outside other schools across the city.

Cllr Rayment said surveys showed a call for more closures to be delivered in the future. “We are now looking into operating further closures of this nature and assessing the feasibility and demands for such interventions at a range of schools across the city,”she added.

Campaigner Lyn Brayshaw, Southampton Friends of the Earth co-ordinator, had previously suggested the plans for one car-free day a month.

She said it would have been nice to have road closures in the city centre one Sunday a month, but added: “I think if they have a limited budget then having a long term road closure outside schools is better.

“It’s just one day and if they have decided not to do it then let’s go on with other schemes.”