Ealing Cycling Campaign Report: Brent Path

Brent Shared Use Path

A proposal by Ol (redesau@bigfoot.com.) of the Ealing Quaker Cyclist Network.

13/1/99, first designed in 1996

[Note: Since this report was first written, the Council have shelved plans to implement it. It may be reconsidered at another time - these things have a habit of re-emerging on the policy agenda when the ballgame changes! - SB].

This document does not propose another footpath or cyclepath, as Ealing Borough is already provided with these. Rather, it proposes the upgrading of a chain of existing foot and cyclepaths to open an attractive ribbon of countryside to the public. The completed path will be four miles long, with only two thirds of a mile shared with motor traffic. By providing a firm, stable surface it will give good access throughout the year for light-wheeled vehicles such as baby buggies, pushchairs, prams, wheelchairs and cycles, and for walkers such as young children and frail older people.

The River Brent runs through the centre of the Error! Bookmark not defined.. Along its length are numerous green open spaces used as parkland and golf courses. It forms a continuous arc of green from Osterley Lock to Twyford. These green spaces together constitute one of the most significant wildlife habitats in the Borough, despite riverine pollution. At present most of this countryside is only accessible to fit, active walkers and cyclists.

By providing a core route with a stable and dependable surface, the Brent Shared Use Path gives access to many poorly surfaced or unsurfaced paths along its length. People with limited mobility, with children or prams, wheelchairs or simply needing a walking stick can make adventurous diversions reassured that they will still be able to return to a more dependable path when they are ready.

By encouraging a wider variety of users moving at different speeds, the route will become safer for people who would otherwise feel vulnerable. In drawing up this proposal the author has drawn heavily on the experience of Error! Bookmark not defined., a charity with eighteen years experience in designing accessible paths. It is SUSTRANS' view that such paths encourage use by women and children.

By offering an opportunity to interact co-operatively, such a route widens travel options. These types of shared-use routes are often perceived as 'cycle paths'. But it is SUSTRANS' experience that about 60% of the traffic is pedestrians on such shared routes. (see their Error! Bookmark not defined. site

For those not familiar with the Borough, you may wish to consult a map or guidebook at this stage.

The route starts at the junction of the Grand Union Canal with the River Brent at the bottom of the Hanwell Flight. Road access is through Green Lane. The distance in miles from this point is given in brackets in the following route description.

The path follows the River Brent under the Uxbridge Road (0.41), across the playing fields and under Hanwell Viaduct into Churchfield Recreation Ground. The route follows the avenue of trees across the recreation ground and through the gate between St MaryÌs, Hanwell, and the entrance to Brent Lodge Park (0.91), thence down the stepped path to cross the River Brent. The route continues past the cricket ground and across the Brent Valley Golf Course, crossing the Brent once more to join High Lane by Mayfield School (1.49).

The route follows High Lane for a few hundred yards before crossing open land and playing fields. Ruislip Road East is crossed by the toucan crossing (1.98). Next it follows the cyclepath along the northern pavement over Greenford Bridge and into Costons Lane for two hundred metres before turning eastwards into Perivale Park. It then follows the metalled path through the park, past the running track, under the railway bridge and into Stockdove Way (3.04), crossing Argyle Road at the traffic lights and into Perivale Lane where it joins the foot/cyclepath at St Mary's Perivale (3.57) through to its final destination, Pitshanger Park (4.06).

The route only crosses three main roads and each crossing is safe: under the Uxbridge Road at Hanwell Bridge, at the toucan crossing on Ruislip Road East near Greenford Bridge and at the junction of Stockdove Way/Perivale Lane and Argyle Road which is controlled by traffic lights. Only the latter will require modification, with the addition of a pedestrian sequence. The three sections of the route which share with motor traffic are all relatively quiet roads, High Lane, Costons Lane and Stockdove Way/Perivale Lane. In all about two thirds of a mile of the route is shared with motor traffic.

The route gives good access to both Brent Lodge Park and Gurnell Leisure Centre, both destinations with limited car parking which is already greatly oversubscribed. It passes three golf courses, a running track, two football fields, two bowling greens, three tennis courts and three parks.

The route passes very close to the site for the proposed cycle training centre in Perivale, via the footbridge over the A40. Thus it provides both access to the training centre and acts as a resource for the centre.(1)

The route is easily reached by bus at Hanwell Bridge, Greenford Bridge, the junction of Argyle Road, Stockdove Way/Perivale Lane and Pitshanger Lane. It passes close to Hanwell, South Greenford and Perivale stations.

The route incorporates some of Ealing's cycle routes (routes 1, 2, 5, 10 & 21) and is crossed by several others (routes 3, 11, 16, 23 & 24).

There is a relatively safe cycle route from Perivale Lane to Horsenden Hill which gives good access to central London by way of the Paddington Branch of the Grand Union Canal. It links in with the Millenium National Cycle Route at Windsor, using the Grand Union Canal, the Slough Branch of the Canal and the Slough-Windsor cyclepath.

The route is effectively impassable to many light-wheeled vehicles (such as pushchairs, prams, wheelchairs, bicycles with childseats, tandems and tricycles) at a number of points and access will need to be improved to accommodate these.

* There are steps at the junction of the River Brent and the Grand Union Canal. These have been badly eroded by water from the lock spilling over.(2) This suggests that a ramp is needed with a surface more resistant to erosion.

* The Uxbridge Road underpass has steps on its north side. This underpass is liable to flooding, and the pump installed to deal with this is not completely effective.

* The access control at the Hanwell Viaduct entrance to Churchfield Recreation Ground is too low and narrow for wheelchairs and the gradient of the path up to the avenue will benefit from being reduced.

* The access control at St Mary's Church, Hanwell, is too narrow and awkward for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

* The stepped path down from St Mary's Church to the River Brent will need replacing by a ramp.

* The ridge before the access control by Mayfield School into High Lane will need to be levelled off for wheelchair access. The access control will need to be widened.

* A dropped curb will be needed at the northern end of High Lane. Access control along the the path from Perivale Lane to Pitshanger Park needs to be changed to accommodate larger electric wheelchairs, tricycles and tandems.

* The surface quality is already good in all weather along most of the route. The route is unsurfaced only along two lengths: from Hanwell Bridge to Hanwell Viaduct and from St Mary's Church, Hanwell, to the Brent Valley Golf Course, in each case only a few hundred yards.

* Other sections will need some widening and or surface upgrading, for example: River Brent from its junction with the Grand Union Canal to Hanwell Bridge. Brentford Valley Golf Course to Mayfield School, High Lane, From High Lane to the southern side of the playing fields by Greenford Bridge.

The quality of the path surface is the vital feature of this proposal. A stable surface will give a good year-round surface for light-wheeled vehicles and people with special mobility needs. SUSTRANS recommends crushed stone on a polypropylene base. The latter prevents surrounding soil infiltrating the crushed stone, becoming a muddy sludge and losing its strength. Such a path wears at about 3mm per year. On gradients this will be greater and consideration could be given to a bitumen surface, either sprayed onto the crushed stone or as a machine laid course. Sustrans has found that a 1500mm wide path will allow clear space for one person to pass a wheelchair or pram, while a 2000mm path gives clear space for a cycle to pass two people. The path will need widening in places to meet either of these width requirements, while in others it already meets or exceeds these widths.

Consideration should also be given to removing the cycle-calming humps along the path from Perivale Lane into Pitshanger Park. While undoubtedly effective in slowing down some cyclists, they are an obstacle to other light-wheeled vehicles such as baby buggies and wheelchairs. Since most cyclists will slow down for other path users anyway, the author questions their necessity or effectiveness. Some teenage cyclists seem to find humps an opportunity to perform stunts rather than an incentive to moderate their speed.

The constituent paths are already used quite amicably by cyclists, walkers and dogs. There will always be room for improvement in behaviour by all of these groups. However the strategy to achieve this improvement is less clear. Most people see any problems as caused by other people. Cyclists see some walkers as deliberately obstructive and some dog owners as criminally negligent. Walkers regard dogs as criminally incontinent and aggressive while cyclists are criminally inconsiderate. Dog owners are struck at the brutal attitudes of cyclists and walkers to their best friends. It is beyond the author's skills to predict the thoughts of dogs. In fact all path users could learn to modify their behaviour to enable all users to enjoy its attractions and benefits.

A problem may arise is if the route comes to the attention of recreational motorcyclists before it becomes popular with the people for whom it is intended. SUSTRANS' experience is that the introduction of York pattern access control will deter young motorcyclists (as we have on canal towpaths). Once a path becomes well used it often loses its attraction to young motorcyclists and these access control measures can be removed. However such access control will also prevent access to larger electric wheelchairs, tandems and tricycles. Access control by gates opened using RADAR keys only offers a partial solution.

The old Lakota was wise. He knew that away from nature a man's heart becomes hard. He knew that lack of respect for growing living things soon led to lack of respect for humans too, so he kept his youth close to its softening influence. (Luther Standing Bear, a Native American, 1898)

Besides offering an opportunity to develop an increased sympathy, knowledge and understanding of our natural environment and ourselves, there are more specific and tangible benefits resulting from this proposal:

By extending the enjoyment of our own local countryside we can ensure that the work of achieving a just and more sustainable society receives the active support of a wider section of Ealing's population.

Error! Bookmark not defined. and The Pedestrian Association, 1995. Joint statement on providing for walking and cycling as transport and travel. Godalming.

(1) Since first writing of this report, this proposal has been shelved - though whether it will be reconsidered at another time is not clear at present.

(2) Since the original writing of this report these steps have been replaced by a ramp, though this is vulnerable to erosion because of the material used.