Caroline's news

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, commenting on Boris Johnson’s recent decision to cancel the Greenwich Waterfront Transit project, said:

"Residents in Greenwich, Woolwich and Thamesmead badly need rapid and comfortable public transport to get from home to railheads like Woolwich and North Greenwich. The Transit scheme has been cut back from tram to guided bus to a pretty ordinary bus and now axed altogether. Labour and Tory Mayors have treated Greenwich with contempt."

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, has welcomed Transport for London’s (TfL) decision to eventually back down over its plans to narrow a stretch of pavement on Streatham High Road.

As part of its latest phase of improvements to Streatham High Road it was proposed by TfL to restrict a stretch of the pavement between Becmead Avenue and Woodbourne Avenue by removing some of the pavement outside the former Woolworths store for loading bays.

Local Liberal Democrat councillors strongly objected to these proposals as they would have inconvenienced many pedestrians and local shoppers. To ensure TfL took notice of their concerns they also invited Caroline Pidgeon to support their campaign.

Pedestrians trying to cross the lethal Tiger's Head junction on Bromley Road were left facing yet more danger and uncertainty this week, when London Mayor Boris Johnson failed to give a timeframe for the introduction of pedestrian crossings. Local residents are forced to cross the four-lane junction, which is the site of numerous traffic accidents, without the help of pedestrian lights.

The Liberal Democrats' London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, Caroline Pidgeon, asked Boris Johnson why so little progress had been made to improve safety at the dangerous intersection of Bromley Road and Whitefoot Lane. In his reply, the Mayor failed to offer any timeframe for the urgently needed improvements, saying only that "investigations are on-going."

Road safety issues for bus passengers on Station Road were top of the agenda when Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, met Chingford residents outside Chingford bus and rail station earlier this week. Caroline Pidgeon visited the site after an invitation from Geoff Seeff, the prospective parliamentary candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green.

After the meeting, which was also attended by officers from Transport for London (TfL) Caroline commented:

"It is deeply worrying that passengers are required to get off the 97 and 179 buses on Station Road itself and then have to cross a busy road from between parked cars to get to the rail station. A serious accident is waiting to happen here. We need to find a way for buses to put down passengers safely in the bus station itself with proper provision for wheelchair users.

The extreme variation in fares for the same journey facing commuters and visitors was brought to the attention of Boris Johnson by Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson at today’s Mayor’s Question Time.

Caroline Pidgeon said:
“It is clear that Boris Johnson has no idea what travel in London actually costs, especially for visitors and tourists. The Mayor couldn’t even answer my basic question of what a One Day Travelcard costs.