Caroline's news

The Mayor’s obsession with the New Routemaster is forcing Transport for London to purchase more of the expensive buses for the sole reason of keeping the production line running at Wrightbus, it has been revealed.

Transport for London’s Finance and Policy Committee is set to agree to purchase 30 more New Routemaster buses so as to “enable Wrightbus to maintain the operation of one of the two current production lines”, confirming that there is no market for the New Routemaster buses outside of London.

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on Transport for London’s withdrawal of controversial plans to close Caledonian Road tube station for eight months to replace the two lifts, said:

Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the recent boastful statement by the Mayor of London claiming a ‘dramatic’ increase in London’s A&Es sharing information with the police to help reduce violence across the capital, said:

“For many years there has been powerful evidence that anonymous data collected by A&Es leads to more intelligent and effective policing helping to make our communities safer.

As a National Audit Office report highlights the uncertainty over the value for the public money being poured into the Garden Bridge, and George Osborne's bypassing of normal procedure, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

“It is incredible that, while the real benefits of the garden bridge are hard to quantify, George Osborne didn’t hesitate to instruct both the Department for Transport and the Mayor of London to pour taxpayers’ money into the scheme.”

Caroline Pidgeon AM joined local Lib Dem Councillors Gail Engbert, Martin Newton and Vic Ross, Assembly Candidate Dawn Barnes and other Lib Dem campaigners in Muswell Hill on Saturday 9th January. The team were talking to local residents about issues with the council and promoting the London Lib Dems' campaign for half price fares before half seven.