The opening of the Merrick Road footbridge, earlier this month, coincided with the launch of Ealing Council’s Active Travel consultation in the borough.

The Southall Active Travel consultation is designed to give everyone who works, lives or travels in Southall a say in active travel plans in the area. Others towns have similar consultations as well.

There are many ways to get involved, and you can have your say in an online consultation that runs until 14 January 2023.

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The first consultation session took place at the opening of the Merrick Road bridge on 1st December 2022.

The first workshop session will take place at Southall Manor House on Saturday, 17 December 2022 from 10am to 1pm. Go and have a chat with them about how to improve opportunities for walking, cycling and public transport in Southall.

The second workshop session at Southall Manor House will take place on Saturday, 14 January 2023 from 10am to 1pm.

The first pop-up session will take place at Southall Station on Tuesday, 20 December 2022 from 5pm to 7pm.

The second pop-up session will take place on Southall Broadway (near Barclays Bank) on Wednesday, 11 January 2023 from 12 noon to 3pm.

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Councillor Costigan said: "At the heart of all our plans for active travel are local people. This is where you live, where you work, and it is only right that you have a say in what happens in your local neighbourhood."

"That is why we have launched the Southall Active Travel consultation. We want to understand what stops you from walking, cycling, and using public transport – and what you need, here in Southall, so that you’ll feel you can leave your car at home for those shorter journeys."

"We will be working again with Let’s Go Southall to get out and about and talk with as many local people as we can over the next few months."

The council has allocated £10 million to make walking, cycling and using public transport easier, across the seven towns in the borough. They want to know how this money should be used.

Free bikes and regular cycle training

Let's Go Southall brings together communities, businesses, charities and volunteers to offer comprehensive support to Southall residents who want to be more physically active.

This includes offering free bikes, regular cycling training and maintenance to local people participating.

Councillor Mason added: "We have been working closely with Let’s Go Southall, an amazing group of local organisations and volunteers getting people in Southall more physically active."

Find out more at the Let’s Go Southall website.

Recent improvements in Southall

The new and improved Merrick Road footbridge is one of many improvements Ealing Council are introducing to make walking and biking safer and easier.

The brand-new cycle lane from Hanwell to Southall (near Southall Park) makes cycling on one of the key routes through the borough easier, safer more enjoyable.

The Southall Grand Union Canal Wellbeing Way, a green, nature-rich corridor, towpaths and walkways are being transformed to make them safer and easier for people to travel on foot and by bike.

The Grand Union Canal Trust, Ealing Council, housing association Catalyst, and Ealing Council’s Sport England National Lottery funded Let’s Go Southall project, are working together to transform the canal towpaths and nearby green spaces in Southall.

Let’s Ride Southall is a group of local people working together to improve their cycling with regular cycling and bike maintenance. Ealing Council is supporting the initiative and will be providing 1,000 bikes to residents free-of-charge. This is to ensure that anyone in the area who wants to be active and start cycling regularly can participate.

Most of the money for these projects comes from external sources.