Caroline's news

Boris Johnson has suggested that negotiations to allow the East London Extension to go ahead are now close to completion. Responding to repeated questions from Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, the Mayor stated that he was “confident” it would go ahead, claiming that “we are on the threshold of greatness” and that “we are almost there”.

Caroline Pidgeon, who is the Liberal Democrat Transport Assembly Spokesperson, said:
“After so many years of waiting it is incredibly exciting that we now appear to be so close to a deal being agreed to allow the go ahead of this much needed transport project.

Boris Johnson, at today’s London Assembly debate on the Mayor’s draft consolidated budget, agreed to carefully examine proposals put forward by the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group on tackling fare evasion and the introduction of a one-hour ticket for bus use.

On fare evasion Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson said:

“It is good news that the Mayor has accepted that far more should be done to tackle fare evasion across the whole transport network. Transport for London estimate that fare evasion is costing at least £70 million a year, which is a bill every honest traveller is paying through higher fares or a lack of investment in new transport.

Caroline Pidgeon AM spent Sunday knocking on doors with Shoaib Patel, candidate in the Valentines Ward by-election.

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Assembly Transport spokesperson, has secured an agreement from Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, that he will meet a delegation of representatives from Brent and Ealing to hear the arguments in favour of ‘Fastbus’, the express bus service which would serve Wembley, Park Royal and Acton.

Improvement works in Brixton town centre are causing chaos for commuters, according to Liberal Democrat GLA member, Caroline Pidgeon.

Ms Pidgeon met with senior officials from Transport for London (TfL) in Brixton on Monday at rush hour to see for themselves the mess left by contractors on the site.

In an hour-long briefing with local Liberal Democrat Councillors Ashley Lumsden and Roger Giess and Streatham's Parliamentary Spokesman, Chris Nicholson, officers were taken to task over ongoing traffic congestion, health and safety risks from misplaced barriers around the works, and piles of debris left in mounds near street lights and bus stops.