Ealing Council celebrated a £6 million investment to improve Southall Broadway on Sunday 7 June 2015.

The town centre has undergone a radical change thanks to an overhaul to the layout of its main thoroughfare, the Broadway.

The celebration event was officially opened by the Mayor of Ealing, Councillor Harbhajan Kaur Dheer and included performances by local artist Channi Singh OBE from Alaap.

An engraved paving stone will be laid outside 71-73 Southall Broadway to mark the event and the improvements that have taken place.

Southall Broadway now has new boulevard zones down the centre of the road allowing pedestrians to cross the Broadway in two halves, making it easier, safer and more convenient to cross the road; wider footways reducing crowding; signalised crossings have been removed and a 20mph zone introduced, smoothing out the traffic flow and eliminating stop start at traffic lights.

The road has also been completely resurfaced, new street lights have gone in, along with CCTV cameras, bins and benches.

A recent attitudinal survey has shown a positive rise in local’s attitude towards Southall Broadway, with results showing the percentage of people who thinks it is easy or very easy to move along the Broadway on foot increasing from 26% to 69%.

Leader of Ealing Council, Councillor Julian Bell, said: "It’s been fantastic to already see such positive results from the improvements to Southall Broadway. The event was a great way to acknowledge the work that’s been done and to thank all those involved, including local businesses and residents for their patience."

The project is a crucial part of the multi-million pound programme to transform the town called the ‘Southall Big Plan’. Southall received £3.5 million in funding through the Mayor of London’s regeneration fund, along with further investment from Ealing Council and Transport for London.

Chairman of the Mayor’s Design Advisory Group Daniel Moylan said: "The transformation of Southall Broadway will breathe new life into the area and improve the daily lives of residents who walk, drive, work or shop along it. We are proud that the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund has contributed to this important project and we congratulate Ealing Council for bringing it forward."

The local residents had no prior knowledge that the event was taking place. That information is only reserved for a few select individuals, as usual, in case some people might actually turn up (and possibly) spoil the party.

It was just another good photo opportunity for a select few.