Caroline's news

Proposed improvements to the Mile End Road and Burdett Road junction are totally inadequate and fail to provide any significant benefits for cyclists, claims Caroline Pidgeon AM, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group and chair of the London Assembly’s transport committee.

Responding to Transport for London’s (TfL) consultation on the review of this junction, which is part of a wider exercise to review the safety of 100 junctions across London for cyclists, Caroline Pidgeon said:

“Quite frankly these proposals appear to be the weakest plans to have emerged from TfL’s junction review so far. The introduction of mandatory cycle lanes is welcome, but there is little else that will benefit cyclists. Indeed some of the changes will make the junction more intimidating and potentially even more dangerous."

The London Assembly today welcomed the introduction of 'wave and pay' cards on London's transport network, but warned that Transport for London must ensure that the new technology does not disadvantage any passengers.

In 2011, the London Assembly's Transport Committee published "The Future of Ticketing", which set out how 'Wave and Pay' could be made fair to all passengers and not disadvantage those who continue to use Oyster. The Assembly heard confirmation from TfL that it will review and act on its recommendations as the new technology is rolled out.

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the latest figures for ridership on the cable car which show that daily ridership has fallen to as low as 301 passengers on one day and that just 16 Oyster card holders used the cable car more than five times in the week ending 21st October 2012 said:

“Outside of weekends and school holidays the passenger figures for the Thames cable car are pitiful. It is now increasingly clear that the Thames cable car is little more than a tourist attraction and not proving a useful link for people who regularly commute across the Thames.

“Of course if the Mayor had just been honest about this from the outset and honoured his claim that the scheme would be funded entirely from private funds there would be no complaints. But that is not what he promised Londoners.

“Having poured so much public money into the scheme the Mayor must now ensure it operates like an integral form of public transport. A good start would be to ensure that people with a relevant Travelcard are not charged again for using a publicly funded transport scheme.”

A report from the London Assembly Transport Committee, which is chaired by Caroline, warns that the number of cycling injuries on London’s roads has risen by 50 per cent since 2006 and recommends doubling funding for cycling and targets for the number of journeys made by bike.

Gearing Up calls on the Mayor to respond to falling cycle safety by prioritising ways to encourage more people on to bikes and reduce serious cycling incidents on London’s roads.

The Assembly’s recommendations to the Mayor, Transport for London (TfL) and the Government include:

Speaking to the BBC about the extremely low passenger numbers on the Thames cable car, Caroline Pidgeon said:

"All we're seeing is a publicly funded tourist attraction rather than a serious mode of transport. What the Mayor now needs to do is to incorporate it in the Travelcard network, to make sure people are using it, rather than the handful that are today."