Scrubs Lane Access to Grand Union Canal Towpath, Scrubs Lane, NW10

Park Royal Partnership on behalf of partners LB Hammersmith and Fulham, Transport for London and British Waterways is pleased to announce the opening of the new Scrubs Lane Access to the Grand Union Canal towpath. This new access includes a wheel channel for cyclists which should bring benefits to the many users that require access to the Grand Union Canal for journeys to work and leisure. This new access will be owned by British Waterways, who own the canal and towpath. The Grand Union Canal has been designated by TfL as a London strategic walk, a Greenway for pedestrians and cyclists, and is part of the Sustrans National Cycle Route Network, forming part of a long distance route between Central London, the Midlands and Watford.

The Grand Union Canal runs through the Park Royal area and provides an attractive car free route through for pedestrians and cyclists, but at present it has very limited or unsatisfactory access despite usage of the Grand Union Canal increasing over the years. Some 60% of journeys to work in the Park Royal area are by car, which is significantly higher than in surrounding areas. This leads to problems of congestion, and commuter cars parked on-street can cause difficulties for essential goods vehicles access to the industrial premises. Most of the street environment in Park Royal is unattractive for pedestrians and cyclists. It has been an ambition of partners to improve and upgrade access with available funding.

Park Royal Partnership worked closely with LB Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London for a number of years to find an appropriate engineering solution to the previous Scrubs Lane stairs to the Grand Union Canal and improve access for all users groups.

The previous access stairs had been deteriorating over a number of years. In the last few years, PRP has made a series of improvements to the towpath, including widening and resurfacing and the ramp would replace the existing steps and make it easier for people to access the towpath. This would particularly benefit disabled people, people with buggies and cyclists working closely. We work very closely with our Borough partners such as LB Hammersmith and Fulham and main funders, Transport for London as well as British Waterways.