Neighbours Star Adds Shine to Harrow's Sustainable Transport Event

Neighbours actress Nicky Whelan (below) made a special appearance at a Harrow Council event at the Civic Centre on Saturday 3 November, promoting sustainable transport in the borough.

The Australian actress, who plays the role of Pepper Steiger on Neighbours, came out to talk to people about the impact their travel choices have on the environment and to lend support to Harrow Council whose travel awareness promotions have attracted international attention.

"I think what you guys are doing is great," she said. "I was walking around Harrow yesterday and it's a lovely place, very much like the area I grew up in. I hope people walk, cycle and use public transport when they can as well as share their car journeys with friends so they are doing what they can for this important cause."

Harrow's Good Going campaign has been promoting travel awareness since 2004 to much attention locally, nationally and internationally. The campaign which was a London wide initiative, will be replaced in other boroughs at the end of this year by the "In Town Without My Car" and "I Move London" initiatives, making this the campaign's final year of promotion. As a result, this year's travel awareness weeks saw little activity in most London boroughs and Harrow's promotions and events topped the others as having the most travel awareness activity in London. This event culminated what has been a busy year of promotion for sustainable transport in the borough.

The event also showcased Transport for London's 'I Move London' campaign which aims at encouraging individual responsibility towards alleviating traffic congestion. Visitors were not only enamoured by the presence of Nicky Whelan, but also got to get on a bike to pedal for their own smoothies as well as participate in a fitness test for a general overview of how much more they should be exercising and how their travel choices could support this.

Other celebrities who have supported Harrow's travel awareness promotion this year include actor Martin Sheen who sent a note to Harrow Council thanking the people for their part in making the local Good Going promotions so impactful.

His note, simply addressed to "Harrow" said: "Good Going, good people! Peace, Martin Sheen."

Andy Pidduck, Travel Awareness Manager at Transport for London, commented:
"We are very encouraged by the sheer number of events, media interest and celebrity endorsements that Harrow's travel awareness campaigns have achieved. We look forward to working with them as the Good Going brand evolves into DIY Planet Repairs and I Move London."

During the event, Nicky was surrounded by fans who travelled from all over the UK to meet her and she braved the afternoon cold to ensure she met as many people as possible.

"It's been a real pleasure to be here and I've loved visiting Harrow. I hope to be back again soon and thank you for your kindness and hospitality," she said before she left for Los Angeles, where she is now based since leaving Neighbours.