Welcoming the news that the GLA will publish almost all of its previously secret contracts, Caroline Pidgeon cautioned:
“It has been a long fight but the Mayor’s response to the repeated calls by the London Assembly for far more information to be placed in the public domain over contracts signed at City Hall is incredibly welcome.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on reports today that the City of London Corporation are considering plans to create a pedestrianised zone in the City, said:
“I welcome the enlightened thinking of the City of London, which builds upon their other recent decision to introduce a 20 mph speed limit throughout the Square Mile
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, speaking ahead of the first year anniversary of the 2012 Paralympic Games and the Day of Action to highlight the situation that seven of the train stations (including four in London) will not be fully accessible to disabled people and older people, said:
"It is bad enough that so much of London Underground is still inaccessible, largely due to a legacy of poor planning and neglect of the needs of disabled people over the last 150 years.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor’s Roads Task Force report which has been published today, said:
“In an attempt to please everyone this report contains a rag bag of ideas. Some of the ideas are very good, but there are some ideas that are outdated, impractical and harmful for London’s environment.
Southwark Liberal Democrats’ campaign for new schools in the borough was given a boost this week with a visit from the Minister for Schools, David Laws MP.
The Liberal Democrat minister met parents and local councillors in East Dulwich to discuss the shortage of school places in Southwark and what the Government is doing to support new schools.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on today’s Comprehensive Spending Review’s announcement relating to future investment by Transport for London, said:
“The big picture is that vital investment in transport in London has been protected. Tube upgrades and other much needed investment projects can now continue right through to the end of this decade. TfL’s six-year funding investment settlement will help ensure that London keeps growing and moving.
Caroline was delighted to attend the recent British United Indian Liberal Democrats (BUILD) event at the National Liberal Club where the important subject of Violence Against Women was discussed.
The event had a distinguished panel of speakers and was organised by Anuja Prashar and her committee at BUILD.
The loss of 12 fire stations and 18 fire engines is totally unacceptable, claim the Liberal Democrat Group on the London Assembly.
In a formal response to the London Fire Brigade’s consultation on the draft London Safety Plan they repeat their opposition to the loss of fire stations and engines across London, highlighting how it will lead to increased responses times for many Londoners.
The BBC reports on the Mayor's plan to spend £160,000... "to find out why many people do not know what he does"!
Caroline Pidgeon told the BBC:
"The Mayor of London already has a large press office and Transport for London devote huge resources to promoting him as well.
"It beggars belief that anyone seriously thinks additional public money should be spent on promoting the Mayor or defending his policies.
"This appears to have more to do with the Mayor's wider national ambitions than what is proper for London taxpayers."
Commenting on the emerging news that the Mayor approved an additional £500k of public money to fund the New Year's Eve fireworks after the withdrawal of a sponsor, Lib Dem London Assembly leader Caroline Pidgeon said:
“The Mayor needs to explain why he initially signed a decision which allowed a contractor who secured a public contract to turn around at the eleventh hour and demand £500,000 more.
“The Mayor also needs to explain why these appalling decisions have been kept secret from Londoners for so long.”