Caroline's news

Two key bus routes which run from Lewisham, through Southwark, Lambeth and into Westminster are set to become far more crowded, predicts Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson.

The Mayor and Transport for London are now planning huge changes to the timetable for the 436 and 453 bus routes, when new buses replace the current bendy buses.

Through detailed research Caroline Pidgeon has revealed that the new bus routes will cause a serious reduction in bus capacity (the number of people who can sit, or safely stand on a bus) on the 436 bus route of:

Following campaigning by Caroline Pidgeon for guide dogs to be allowed on tube escalators, Transport for London and the Government have formally lifted the ban. With effect from 5th October, trained assistance dogs for disabled people will be legally allowed on Tube, DLR and Overground escalators.

Caroline told the Evening Standard:

The ban on visually impaired people being able to take guide dogs on to moving escalators on the Tube and other parts of London’s transport network is outdated and wrong.

Talking to the Evening Standard about the Mayor's hurry to get new Routemaster buses on the road in time for next year's mayoral election, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

Boris Johnson was elected back in 2008 on a clear pledge to Londoners that he would introduce a brand new Routemaster with conductors.

His actual record sees bus fares hiked up by 55 per cent, more overcrowding and £7.8 million spent on just five Routemaster buses.

You can read the full article here.

Talking to the Evening Standard about the Mayor's recently announced policy to "name and shame" firms responsible for disruptive or neglected roadworks, Caroline Pidgeon said:

After three and a half years in City Hall the Mayor should have slashed roadworks by now. Instead we have just another set of gimmicks as we approach next year's elections. It is action, not words that matter when it comes to tackling London's chronic congestion.

Speaking to the Evening Standard after the Metropolitan Police released figures showing that 20% of 999 callers gave up waiting during the rioting on 8th August, Caroline Pidgeon said:

Although the events of August 8 were exceptional it cannot be right that almost one in five people couldn't get through via the 999 emergency number and simply gave up trying to contact the police.