Acton
Acton is a district within the London Borough of Ealing in west London. It's 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 inhabitants.
Acton means 'oak farm' or ''farm by oak trees', and originates from old English. It was originally 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 areas of East Acton are within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small section of South Acton is inside the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the locations with the most stations bearing their name anywhere in the UK, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is referred to as the hub of commerce and retail on the former major road between London and Oxford, generally known as the Uxbridge Road. The main road includes a lot of inns, which go back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. These days, the A40 dual carriageway is the primary route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes by means of East Acton and North Acton.
Acton boasts 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 the moment in phase 2 of a significant 15-year phased regeneration which involves virtually total demolition of the existing residential units and the construction of new and much more residences. This is most likely to raise its population even further.
