More trees, better lighting and improved pedestrian safety are among the key improvements people in Southall are asking for, according to a recent consultation.

In partnership with Let’s Go Southall, Ealing Council surveyed more than 800 people in the community, online and in-person, to find out what improvements they would like to see as part of a £10million investment programme – Get Southall Moving.

Making active travel safer and easier

As part of this programme, the council is investing in improvements that will make it safer and easier for people to get moving, while focusing on what matters most to the people of Southall:

• more trees to make Southall greener and more pleasant
• better lighting to improve pedestrian safety, particularly along Merrick Road
• wider pavements for walking and cycling

Read more in the Get Southall Moving engagement report.

What happens now?

Improvement works have already started and are due to be complete by April 2026.

Some things you can expect to see over the next year include:

• making Merrick Road safer and more accessible by thinning the trees, clearing litter and undergrowth, improving cycle links and routes, creating wider pavements, safer crossings, upgrading street lighting and adding greenery

• making it easier for people to walk or wheel on the pavement on Havelock Road by renewing and widening pavements

• making it safer and easier for pedestrians to cross Guru Nanak Road, with junction improvements to Rectory and Victoria Road

For a full list of improvements and project timescales, please visit the council’s website.

Putting health first

Regular physical activity is good for people living with conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure – both of which are prevalent in Southall, which has the highest recorded rates in the borough.

Walking, cycling, and other forms of active travel are the most effective ways to incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine but, with high levels of traffic causing congestion and air pollution, it hasn’t always healthy or safe to do this in Southall. The planned works are a step towards changing this.

Council leader, Peter Mason, said: “Get Southall Moving is a great example of how we can improve people’s physical and mental wellbeing by making sure the right infrastructure is in place to get people moving.”

Councillor Paul Driscoll, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, added: “It’s great to see more people in the community being able to lead healthier lives by getting active through programmes like this, which is also an effective way to tackle the climate crisis.”