Acton is a district in the London Borough of Ealing in west London. It is 6.1 miles west of Charing Cross. At the 2011 census, Acton had a population of 62,480 - a ten year increase of 8,791 people.
Acton means 'oak farm' or ''farm by oak trees', and derives from old English. It was initially an ancient village, and as London expanded it was absorbed into the city. Since 1965, Acton has been part of the east of Ealing, but some parts of East Acton are in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small part of South Acton is inside the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the locations with the most stations bearing their name anywhere within the country, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is referred to as the hub of commerce and retail on the former primary road between London and Oxford, known as the Uxbridge Road. The main road contains a lot of inns, which date back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. These days, the A40 dual carriageway is the principal route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes via East Acton and North Acton.
Acton houses the largest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with around 2,000 properties and 5,800 residents. The region is at present in phase 2 of a significant 15-year phased regeneration which consists of nearly total demolition of the current residential units as well as the building of brand new and much more residences. This is likely to boost its population additionally.