Sustrans, are a charity who work to make it easier for everyone to walk, wheel and cycle. The have now opened a walking and cycling centre here in Acton at Friary Park.
The centre is open Thursday 11am to 2pm and Friday 2pm to 5pm, delivering free activities for the community. Walking, wheeling or cycling is an everyday way to improve your health, connect with your community and help bring your neighbourhood to life.
At the centre they have a selection of bikes you can borrow, from children bicycles to folding bicycles, all suitable for wide range of sizes. If you are can’t currently cycle or have lost confidence with cycling then Sustrans also offer cycle training from the centre – contact them on 07922 875 009 or W3@sustrans.org.uk.
If you just want some advice on active travel in the community then you can drop in to speak to the Sustrans team. They can help with planning traffic free or quiet routes, give advice on how to get your own cycle.
If your cycle needs a bit of mechanical TLC then they can do on the spot checks and give advice on how to get your cycle back on the road. They have tools at the centre if you want to learn how to do some quick fixes yourself, with support from the Sustrans team.
We caught up with team from the hub to find out more
- How did the walk and wheel hub Acton come about?
As part of the development of the Friary Park estate, the developers Mount Anvil commissioned Sustrans to co-design a community walking and cycling centre for current and new residents. The creation of a co-designed community asset will support the development of a thriving community on the estate.
It is essential that large developments support active travel so that residents are not car dependent and we are not adding more motor vehicles to existing traffic levels.
How will the project benefit Acton and its residents environmentally?
The W3 Walking and Wheeling Centre supports residents by making active travel more accessible and mitigates the impacts that a rising number of residents would typically have on the local environment and air quality.
Around 60% 1-2 miles journeys in the UK are made by car. If those people who are able to switch to making these journeys by foot or by wheeling then we could make a real impact to the amount of air pollution in our communities, not to mention reducing noise pollution and traffic jams.
Walking and wheeling also enables you to take routes away from main roads and enjoy paths through green spaces, meaning you get to feel the benefits of connecting with the local environment and nature.
What long-term benefits will the area experience from the project’s success?
The impact of air pollution disproportionately effects the most vulnerable members of our communities, including children and the elderly. In some parts of London children’s lung development is 5% lower than the national average due to exposure to air pollution. This capacity never grows back once it is lost so we need to take action now.
As walking and wheeling levels increase we would hope to see more clean and safe routes created, connecting the areas people want to travel between.
How can Acton residents get involved?
Residents can come down to the W3 Centre to discuss walking and wheeling with the Sustrans team and get advice on how they can switch some of their local journeys to be made on foot or by wheeling.
As well as advice residents can access cycles at the centre and benefit from practical support such as cycle training and cycle loans.
What excites you most about the project and how it helps the community become more eco-friendly?
Walking and wheeling has so many potential benefits. As well as reducing air pollution levels by switching up journeys made in a motor vehicle, active travel can improve your physical and mental wellbeing and can help to link up communities – it is so much easier and nicer to catch up with someone on a walk rather than in a car, and walking and wheeling routes can connect different parts of the local community which can otherwise be cut off by busy main roads.
By taking positive personal action locally to support the environment locally, we will be taking steps towards combating the climate emergency and feel more empowered to push local and national government and large organisations to take steps to prevent climate breakdown globally.
Location & Contact
Friary Road, Acton, London W3 6AE (next to the Community Centre)
Contact them via email on w3@sustrans.org.uk or text 07922 875 009.