Hounslow moves forward with new Transport Strategy

Road transport generates one third of all CO2 emissions in the borough and it is predicted that this will grow as more people move to Hounslow. Enhancing Hounslow’s transport infrastructure is therefore a key element of the strategy and supports the Council’s Opportunity Business Case for Growth, which will deliver inclusive, sustainable growth in the borough. A shift away from the private car and towards more sustainable, higher occupancy transport modes is required to reduce transport emissions and sustain growth.

Increasing active travel, especially for shorter trips, including walking, wheeling, and cycling will improve residents’ health, and promoting these is a key element of the strategy. Active travel makes communities more active and healthier, with daily exercise through a journey to school, work, or for leisure. The strategy sets out Hounslow Council’s plans to enable and encourage greater active travel participation – creating safer, more accessible public spaces and expanding cycle training hubs.

The strategy puts people first, working closely with key stakeholders, including residents, schools, businesses, and other partners. During two phases of consultation;

• 63 engagement events were held across the borough
• 1,800 secondary school pupils (whose views are key in in delivering for the future) responded to the young people’s travel survey
• Over 400 contributions were made to the ‘map of priorities’ (where people could leave feedback by placing a pin on an interactive map).

The responses were then used to inform the four focus areas of the strategy:

• Enable safer, more accessible and inclusive journeys
• Improve our local environment and respond to the climate emergency
• Developing healthy places so people can live well
• Support a fairer, growing borough by improving sustainable travel

You said, we will

Community feedback received during the consultation period about how movement around the borough can be improved has identified safety and accessibility of Hounslow’s transport network as community priorities.

Although the borough is well connected with 7 rail stations, 8 tube stations, and an extensive bus network with 680 bus stops and 52 bus routes, the community wanted more tube and rail stations with step-free access.

Hounslow Council will continue to work with partners to make more stations step free by introducing lifts and ramps. In 2023/24, the Council contributed £1 million towards two lifts at Isleworth Station to make journeys more accessible and inclusive for people travelling with children or luggage for example. The Council is working with partners to explore step-free access at Kew Bridge, Turnham Green, Hounslow West, and Gunnersbury stations and a Public Transport Plan will be produced to set out wider ambitions for bus, tube, and rail travel in the borough.

Councillor Katherine Dunne, Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport at Hounslow Council, said:

As a Council, we are committed to building a borough where travel is easier, safer, and more sustainable for all. And the new Transport Strategy for Hounslow will help us to achieve this. We’ve put together some short videos to show some of the projects and programmes that we are planning to do, based on what you said you wanted – you can watch the first video here.

We will also be launching a series of plans soon to support our ambitious and important Transport Strategy. A new Walking and Wheeling Action Plan and Cycling Action Plan to make walking, wheeling, and cycling more attractive and a Public Transport Plan to improve our bus, rail, and underground networks, so people have more choices for their everyday journeys.

The full Transport Strategy can be found here.