Free led rides through Ealing’s most beautiful spots this Sunday

Ealing Council is hosting two days of free guided bike rides from Hanwell on Sunday, 25 June and from Northolt on Sunday, 2 July.

Called Ticket to Ride, the events are an opportunity to explore Hanwell, Northolt, Greenford and Southall as part of a group, led by experienced, qualified cycling instructors. Cyclists of all levels are welcome, but the rides are likely to be of particular interest to family groups, nervous riders, or people who want to return to cycling.

Rides set out every hour, on the hour, between 10am and 3pm. On Sunday, 25 June, they will start from Churchfields Recreation Ground near the band stand. And on Sunday 2, July they will set out from the café at Northala Fields.

Each ride is less than 10 miles long and takes between two to three hours to complete. The route will take in canal towpaths and green spaces. Cyclists can choose to ride only part of the route if they prefer.

There will be free ‘Doctor Bike’ maintenance checks throughout the day, as well as free bike security marking. There will also be refreshment breaks along the way.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “I love cycling and Ticket to Ride is one of my favourite events of the summer. It’s a wonderful way to take a closer look at the greener parts of the borough and to explore some of our beautiful cycling routes.

“It is a fun event for all the family and last year more than 300 cyclists of all ages took part. So if you haven’t been on a bike for a while, or you just fancy a lovely day of cycling with friends and family, come along and join in. We’d love to see you there.”

Residents can register their interest for the event online at www.ealing.gov.uk/cycleride.

Alternatively, just turn up on the day and join in with the next available ride.

More information about cycling in Ealing is available at www.ealing.gov.uk/cycling.

Further investment for Ealing’s roads and footways

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz takes a closer look at a road in Ealing

Almost £4.3million is to be spent on improving roads and footpaths across the borough, Ealing Council has announced. 

The programme, which was approved by the council’s cabinet this week (25 April), will see the council investing £3.5 million into improving roads and footways across Ealing. Of this, £3million will be invested in roads, with £0.5 million to be spent on footways. 

In addition, Transport for London has contributed £771,000 for the repair of major roads in the borough. 

Each year independent, accredited surveyors walk the entire length of all of the borough’s roads checking them for defects such as potholes, cracking, and other signs of deterioration and damage.  Each road is then given a condition rating on a scale of 1-100 and those with a high rating, which are in the poorest condition, are targeted for resurfacing. 

The council works hard to co-ordinate resurfacing works with other work carried out by utilities companies, but on the rare occasions where there is a clash with major works, resurfacing works will be postponed until the first subsequent opportunity. 

Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, leisure and environment said: “Resurfacing our roads and pavements continues to be an important priority for this council and for our residents. 

“That is why year after year we continue to invest significantly to ensure that local people benefit, whether they are pedestrians, cyclists or motorists.”

Find out which roads are in line for resurfacing over 2017-18 by clicking on the images below:

List of Roads to be resurfaced in 2017-18 part 1

List of Roads to be resurfaced in 2017-18 part 2

List of roads to be resurfaced in 2017-18 part 3

and pavements:

Larkspur Rovers Celebrates Funding Boost

Larkspur Rovers FC are celebrating its investment in a £50,000 project to help improve its natural grass football pitches in Northolt. The project which has involved the purchase of a new tractor and grounds keeping machinery, will greatly aid the club’s maintenance efforts throughout the year.

SUEZ Communities Trust, the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund, which is delivered by the Football Foundation, and the London Borough of Ealing provided crucial financial support without which the project would not have been possible.

Joining Larkspur were its equipment suppliers (Campey Turfcare Systems, Ernest Doe & Sons Ltd and RTM/SISIS) and the Institute of Grounsmanship (IoG) who introduced the club’s groundskeepers to the new machinery and its operation.

Graham Bartlett, the Larkspur Rovers FC’s Project Coordinator, said: “The project is a major step towards creating and maintaining an improved playing surface which has always been identified as an important factor in developing the skills of our players.”

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for environment, transport and leisure, commented: “This support allows Larkspur Rovers to become more self-sufficient in maintaining the grass pitches and create even further opportunities for young people, both male and female.”

Marianne Ivin of SUEZ Communities Trust, added: “SUEZ is delighted to have been able to support the enthusiastic team at Larkspur Rovers FC with their project. SUEZ Communities Trust provides grants through the Landfill Communities Fund. This important source of funding has been available since 1997 and has provided worthy projects with more than £1.4 billion of support.”

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “I am delighted that a grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund has enabled Larkspur Rovers FC to improve the maintenance of its pitches which will provide a real boost to football in the local area and the playing experience of those that take part.”

Green Living Day comes to Walpole Park

Cllr Mahfouz taking part in a previous Compost Giveaway

Local residents can find out about how to live more sustainably and reduce their impact on the environment at a green living event next month.

Taking place at Walpole Park, Ealing on Saturday, 6 May from 10am until 2pm, the event will be packed with useful recycling and composting information and woodworking and carving demonstrations. It will also include a compost give away, seed and plant swaps, and children’s green crafts including weaving with dogwood.

The compost giveaway will begin at 8 am – two hours before the main Green Living Day event – and residents may take up to two loads of compost until noon, after which it will be unlimited. This is in order to ensure that everyone gets a fair opportunity to collect compost.

Representatives from the Friends of Pitzhanger Manor House & Gallery and Walpole Park; Transition Town, Ealing and Northfields allotments will also be on hand to talk to residents about their work in the local community.

Dr Bike will be running a session where local people can get help and advice on all things cycling, as well as a free basic service for their bike.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for environment, transport and leisure said: “I encourage local residents to come down to wonderful Walpole Park next month for Green Living Day. The event will include fun activities for the family and provide really useful information on helping our environment through the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle.

“We will always fully support residents to recycle as much as possible and since the launch of the council’s alternate weekly collection service last year, we have seen recycling rates rise six percentage points. We are meeting our ambitious target of recycling more than 50 per cent of household waste a year ahead of schedule, at a time where rates are falling nationally and across London.”

Northolt to become home of Middlesex FA with new all-weather pitches

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz is joined by Cllr Julian Bell, John Taylor (Middlesex FA Chairman), Kelly Simmons MBE (FA Director) & Peter Clayton (Chief Exec, Middlesex FA) at the groundbreaking at Rectory Park, Northolt

An ambitious project to develop top quality sports leisure and recreational facilities at Northolt’s Rectory Park is now underway.

Set for completion in February 2018, the project will see The Football Association (FA) and Middlesex County Football Association working in partnership with Ealing Council to develop the facilities for the benefit of the local community.

The council has secured more than £4.88 million in funding from The FA , Middlesex FA, The London Marathon Charitable Trust and Sport England to develop the new facilities at Rectory Park as part of its commitment to providing opportunities for residents to stay healthy and active through sports.

The project, part of The FA’s Parklife grassroots football scheme, officially got underway on Tuesday, 18 April. Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, the council’s cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, and council leader, Councillor Julian Bell, joined Kelly Simmons, director of participation and development at The FA, and guests to mark the breaking of the ground at the site in Rectory Park.

When finished, the facilities will boast two full-size, floodlit 3G artificial pitches, which can be used all year round, changing facilities, two community rooms and a pavilion.

Councillor Mahfouz said: “I’m delighted to see this exciting development in Rectory Park get started. These all-weather pitches, sports and community facilities will bring much needed and long-awaited phenomenal facilities to Northolt and the borough.

“This development will also mean Northolt is the official home of Middlesex FA. Through the council’s commitment and work with our partners, these new, high quality sports and leisure facilities will be open to the community, ensuring we get more people in Northolt active and engaged in sports.”

Kelly Simmons from The FA said: “This signifies an important next step in our national Parklife programme and an exciting chapter in the history of Middlesex FA, who will now become custodians of the centre for the benefit of thousands of people right across the area.

“In a year when The FA is dedicated to doubling the number of participants in the women’s game as well as growing the recreational game for all sectors of the community, this will provide a catalyst as well as focal point for football and sport lovers locally.

“We hope this is the first of more similar football ‘hubs’ in the capital, working closely with our partners at the Premier League, Sport England and the Mayor of London’s Office, and would like to commend the work of Ealing Council in making this vision a reality.”

Middlesex FA Chairman John Taylor added “We are delighted to be working with Ealing Council and The Football Association to deliver the Rectory Park project. As Kelly Simmons has said, this is a very exciting time for Middlesex FA. In addition to providing the association with a new purpose built headquarters building, Rectory Park will place us at the heart of the community. The excellent facilities will provide playing opportunities for football participants at all levels of the game in our area.”

Hanwell Zoo now open!

Visitors from the borough and beyond are invited to experience the wonderful animals at the newly renamed Hanwell Zoo this spring. Previously called Brent Lodge Animal Centre, the zoo is entering an exciting new era, and will continue to play an important role in both conservation and the local community long into the future.

Hanwell Zoo, often known as ‘the Bunny Park’, is located in Brent River Park where local people have enjoyed the animal centre for more than 40 years. The change of name has been made to better reflect its array of wildlife, which stands at an impressive 42 species and there are even more new additions planned for later in the year.

Visitors can see a huge range of different creatures, from familiar favourites like meerkats and lemurs, to brilliant new additions including unmistakable capybaras, beautiful Javan peafowl and flamingos.

They join dozens of other species including red-crowned cranes, tropical frogs, pygmy goats, kune kune pigs and the zoo’s resident porcupine. Tamarin monkeys, frilled-neck lizards and alpacas are also due to arrive in the near future.

The zoo’s butterfly and reptile house has been renovated as part of the improvements, with visitors able to walk amongst free-flying butterflies. A brand new playground featuring a sandpit and slide is also set to open within the zoo area in the coming weeks.  This is in addition to the existing Brent Lodge Park playground.

From April 1 there will be a small charge to visit Hanwell Zoo and visitors can get annual season tickets and membership packages at great prices.  A day entry is priced at £2.50 for adults and £1 for children over three, with children under three able to visit free-of-charge. A year-long season ticket costs £15 for adults, £10 for senior citizens, people registered as disabled and children over three.

Visitors can also enjoy beautiful parkland surrounding the zoo, including an arboretum, maze and renovated café in the surrounding park, which will remain free to visit.

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for environment, transport and leisure said: “I’m delighted to see the new Hanwell Zoo opening its doors to visitors this spring. It’s a much loved facility and a real gem to have in the heart of our borough.

“Over the past few years, the zoo has been transformed with the renovated, larger and more modern habitats for the fantastic animals that live there. The expanding collection of animals is adding to the familiar family favourites. The arrival of meerkats, lemurs and now flamingos and alpacas, alongside the renovated butterfly and reptile house mean this is a fabulous destination for all to enjoy.

“The council has worked to secure the future of the zoo meaning it will continue its vital conservation work, and valuable education programmes within the community.”

Visit www.hanwellzoo.co.uk for further details.

Astonishing numbers fined for fly-tipping in Ealing

Ealing Council’s crackdown on fly-tipping is continuing to deliver results for the borough.

Almost 4,000 fixed penalty notices have been issued since the introduction of specialist enforcement teams last August, and in the same period the number of fly-tips reported to the council each week has dropped by 46%.

The council has taken one of the most proactive stances on tackling fly-tipping in the country, which is on the increase nationally. Last June, Ealing was one of the first boroughs to adopt the higher rate fixed penalty notice of £400 as part of a London-wide crack down to keep the capital clean.

Four specialist enforcement teams currently operate in the borough. They are responsible for discouraging, catching, and cleaning up after selfish individuals who flout the law by dumping waste.

The council set up this provision in direct response to the concerns of residents about fly-tipping in some areas of the borough. The teams are operating in addition to the council’s normal street cleansing service that already deals with fly-tipping.

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz, the council’s cabinet member for environment, transport and leisure said: “There is never an excuse to fly-tip. Nationally there has been a significant increase in fly-tipping, but in Ealing, we’ve taken immediate and clear action that is achieving results.

“I welcome news that since the introduction of our fly-tip enforcement crews, we have seen a huge 46% drop in the number of fly-tips around the borough and nearly 4,000 fines issued.

“The message is hitting home to the irresponsible people who think it’s ok to leave their mess for others to deal with.  They risk receiving an unwelcome notice through their letter box with a fine of £400, which if ignored could result in a prosecution, criminal record, being named and shamed and a fine running into thousands of pounds.”

The council’s free app, Ealing 24/7 also allows residents to report street and environmental issues quickly and easily using their smartphone. For further info, visit www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit

Residents can also report cases of fly-tipping online, or by calling the council’s hotline on 020 8825 8825.

To avoid possible fines, it is important for residents to check whether a waste clearance company is licensed and legal. They can do this by entering their details at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register.

More information about the borough’s reuse and recycling centres, how to arrange a bulky waste collection and how to find scheduled collection days, is available at www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling.

The council also offers a bulky waste collection service and will collect up to eight items for £40. Residents can share bulky collections with friends and neighbours, but the items must all be collected from one location.