Ealing Cycling Campaign is pushing for an orbital cycle route to be included in Transport for London's plans for a large housing development next to Bollo Lane in Acton. TfL has proposed a scheme to build a string of residential tower blocks on the strip of land it owns between the District Line and Bollo Lane, but its proposals don't include a cycle route along Bollo Lane itself that would link up with neighbouring routes. At present Bollo Lane is an unfriendly place for cycling. One of the worst areas is the northern end, near Acton Town Station, where cars parked outside the automotive workshops block the road. This development is a great opportunity to create much needed space for cyclists - especially on this northern stretch of Bollo Lane, but the "cycling zone" included in the current proposals is on the other side of the residential blocks, and doesn't run for the whole length of the development.
Bollo Lane is a vital north-south link in the cycle route network in this part of London. It is shown as a cycle route in Ealing Council’s most recently published route network (the 2014 mini-Holland bid network), so it should be a priority to bring up to a good standard. We would like to see a route of the standard of the segregated two-way path recently opened on Boston Manor Road.
Ealing Cycling Campaign has also put forward a proposal for a route that will bridge over the two railway lines that cross Bollo Lane - avoiding the need to use the level crossings. This will be important in the future - if the proposed West London Orbital Rail service goes ahead, then the Bollo Lane level crossings could possibly be the busiest in the UK.
See TfL's Plans here
