Caroline's news

Just 436 people took part in the Mayor’s Cycle Friday events - costing the taxpayer nearly £70 per cyclist, according to answers provided by Boris Johnson to Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson. Some rides saw only two or three cyclists turn up!

In a written answer to Caroline Pidgeon, the Mayor has admitted that the Cycle Friday events attracted only a handful of people over the eight weeks that they ran. Even a belated attempt to revive interest through the launch of a prize draw was a complete failure, with just 43 people entering the Londonwide competition. Attendance at the Cycle Friday events was also lowest at the end of the eight weeks.

Caroline Pidgeon commented:
"Cycle Fridays have sadly been a costly flop. The Mayor boldly predicted that thousands of commuters would take part but in the end only a few did.

Caroline Pidgeon joined a cross party group to speak out against planned cuts to Lewisham's local rail services, and to take their campaign to Government ministers.

The South London Press reported on the campaign here.

The group have also written a letter to the South London Press, setting out their stance:

Dear Sir,

We are deeply concerned by the proposed deep cuts to already overcrowded train services run by Southern Railways via Sydenham, Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, Brockley and New Cross Gate. Passengers are rightly outraged by these cuts and concerned that an already overcrowded and unpleasant commute will turn into a daily nightmare.

Caroline Pidgeon AM recently visited the dangerous Cavendish Road Junction with Clapham Common Southside with local campaigner Chris Nicholson, Lib Dem Cllr Darren Saunders and Transport for London engineers.

“We witnessed people trying desperately to cross this complicated and busy junction without a clue as to which way traffic might move next” commented Caroline.

“The whole junction just does not work and means residents have to take real risks just to get across the road. TfL have agreed to see if the cones on the traffic lights can be reduced in length so at least pedestrians can see the colour of the traffic lights and to look to rework the whole junction to make it easier for pedestrians. This will take a while for the various options to be worked up. We will keep up the pressure to make this area safer for local people” added Caroline.

In the Evening Standard's coverage of the 2010 tube and bus fare rises, Caroline is quoted on the impact of higher fares to the travelling public:

This will be a slap in the face for the millions of Londoners who will be seeing no increase in their pay packets this year.

The full article is here.

The Southwark News reports on the implications for Southwark of the Mayor's new transport strategy - which includes neither the Cross River Tram nor the South London Line.

The article quotes Caroline on the tram issue:

Anyone looking at the Mayor's Transport Strategy would search in vain to find even a single mention of the proposed Cross River Tram, despite the fact that it is 354 pages in length!

It is now abundantly clear that Boris Johnson has no intention at all of ever wanting to introduce a Cross River Tram. The warm words by the Mayor and his transport adviser have now been exposed as being utterly worthless.

You can read the full article here.