Caroline's news

A Big Switch to electric buses and taxis can cut London’s appalling air pollution, dramatically reduce premature deaths and ill health, and help meet climate change targets. The London Assembly Liberal Democrats have put forward an ambitious programme to convert high mileage buses, taxis and light goods vehicles to electric power by 2020. The plan was launched with Caroline Pidgeon AM and Mike Tuffrey AM with support from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP.

Caroline Pidgeon joined Carshalton Lib Dem Councillors Hamish Pollock, Alan Salter, Jill Whitehead and Peter Fosdike along with local MP Tom Brake, and former Lib Dem Councillor and Sutton Seniors activist Chris Pennington, to look at a number of transport concerns in the Carshalton area on 19th July. Caroline walked around Carshalton Ponds and Carshalton High Street before attending a Carshalton Local Area Committee discussing a range of transport issues with local residents and councillors.

High Speed Rail has been a key policy for the Liberal Democrats for many years, as part of our plans to reduce domestic flights and get people out of their cars and onto rail. The Government has recently consulted on its plans for High Speed 2. As Liberal Democrat Spokesperson, Caroline has responded to the consultation.

In addition, the London Assembly Transport Committee held a hearing in July to hear from all sides about High Speed 2 and its impact on transport in London, as well as carrying out site visits to Euston and Old Oak Common.

It is clear that should High Speed 2 go ahead, a lot of investment will be needed in London’s transport infrastructure, including a new tube line, if London is to cope with the potential increase in passengers.

Caroline Pidgeon AM has joined David Sant and Islington Liberal Democrats out and about in the St Peter’s ward by-election.

Caroline has been out campaigning with David Sant and London Assembly candidate Bridget Fox talking to local residents to hear the issues that they are concerned about in their area.

“It is quite clear that local residents want a strong local champion to represent them at the town hall. David Sant is a governor at North Community School and is the only candidate to live in the ward. He is just the person St Peter’s ward needs” commented Caroline.

Thames Water bosses have been severely criticised by Caroline Pidgeon following a water burst that paralysed rail travel across a large swathe of the South-East on 1st August.

An estimated 80,000 pasengers faced hours of chaos and delays after a Thames Water pipe triggered a landslide that blocked a key commuter route in and out of Victoria.

Caroline has now written to Thames Water asking them to introduce some form of compensation for the thousands of passengers that faced what many people have described as nightmare journeys.