A DOCUMENTARY filmed in Marlow in which film makers achieved a "40 or 50 per cent" reduction in traffic was shown tonight on Channel 4.

The programme, which was called "The Woman who Stops Traffic", was filmed in February last year. It showed presenter Kris Murrin encouraging Marlow motorists to leave their vehicles at home for the day in favour of other forms of transport.

As part of the project, which was dubbed "Change Gear for a Day", Marlow residents walked, cycled or used car pools to get to school and work.

According to the programme, out of pupils attending eight schools in the Marlow area on the day the experiment was conducted only ten per cent travelled to school by car.

The programme also encouraged workers at a local business to leave their cars behind. Employees operated a car share which, according to the documentary, resulted in a reduction of vehicles in the car park from 150 to 43.

In the programme Tony Blackmore, a traffic expert with Bucks County Council, said: "At 8.30 this morning we found that traffic was probably 40 or 50 per cent down on what you would expect on a day like today."

Speaking tonight, Marlow's mayor Richard Scott said: "I think it proves that you can get people out of the car for a day.

"Cycle routes are a start. If you can encourage people to walk to school it will also ease traffic."

Mr Scott said that Marlow Town Council is currently in discussion with Buckinghamshire County Council over new cycle routes in Marlow.

However, Mr Scott said that such facilities would only impact upon short journeys such as school runs, and that cars would remain necessary for longer commutes.