Walking, Wheeling and Cycling in Hounslow
Active Travel in Hounslow
As part of our ambitious plans for a healthier, greener, and safer Hounslow, we are looking to improve the active travel experience and environment for residents and visitors from all walks of life. We have been seeking views from a wide variety of people and places over the summer and following feedback, we have prepared a draft Walking and Wheeling Action Plan, and a draft Cycling Action Plan which set out in more detail how active travel can support the overarching vision of the borough’s Transport Strategy.
What do we mean by wheeling?
Walking and cycling are familiar ways of describing how we travel but there can be confusion when it comes to the word ‘wheeling’. When we refer to wheeling, we mean people walking or moving with wheels at a walking pace. This could be using a wheelchair or mobility scooter, travelling with a pushchair or with luggage, but does not include cycling. By referring to wheeling specifically, we recognise the different needs that people have and how they may differ to those travelling on foot.
Why is active travel important?
Walking and wheeling is an everyday part of life, we walk or wheel to catch the bus, to get to school or work, to meet with friends, or for exercise. It is the simplest and most accessible form of movement and requires no cost, equipment, or training. While cycling involves basic training and some level of investment in a bike (either to hire, loan or buy), it facilitates active journeys over longer distances. Together, walking, wheeling and cycling can play a key role in reducing congestion by replacing short car trips. They are also good for our physical and mental health and benefit the environment.
We want people to feel safe and comfortable walking, wheeling, and cycling around the borough. The council is also encouraging these modes to create healthier communities. Our sustainable travel hierarchy is shown below:
Sustainable Travel HierarchyThis approach aims to shift short car trips to walking, wheeling and cycling where possible and to public transport for longer distances. This will help reduce congestion and provide space for people who do need to drive and can't use alternatives as there is little opportunity to expand our roads.
Get Involved
We are committed to reflecting the needs of those who live, work, study and visit the borough as much as possible, so to help shape our vision we are inviting you to have your say on both our Walking and Wheeling Action Plan and Cycling Action Plan. We’re keen to hear your thoughts on how you would like to see active travel evolve in Hounslow.
- Please complete our short survey. You will be given the option to provide feedback on individual documents or both. It should take approximately 3-5 minutes for one survey or 7-10 minutes to comment on both.
- Meet the team - there are in-person and virtual events planned for this consultation, please visit our Eventbrite page for more information.
- If you would like to feed into the council's broader Transport Strategy which is currently being updated, please visit this webpage for more information.
Next Steps
Following the consultation, we will consider all responses before we finalise the plans. We will make changes to the action plans based on what you have told us, and the final documents will be ready for approval in early 2025.
If you would like a printed copy of this consultation, or an accessible alternative, such as Braille, large print or EasyRead, please email engage@hounslow.gov.uk.
