Transport articles

Caroline joins cross-party campaign against Lewisham rail cuts

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.

22 October 2009 - 8:32pm

Caroline puts pressure on TfL over dangeorus Clapham Common junction

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.

18 October 2009 - 8:56pm

Caroline criticises Mayor's "worthless warm words" on Cross River Tram

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.

17 October 2009 - 10:13pm

The Mayor hits the wallets and purses of millions of Londoners

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, commenting on the Mayor’s fare package for 2010 which is hiking up tube and bus fares and cutting bus and tube services in outer London, said:

"For the second year in a row the Mayor is punishing Londoners with an inflation busting increase in fares. Incredibly even a short bus journey involving just one change will set people back £2.40.

"People in outer London will be particularly aggrieved to be paying even more for a poorer service.

15 October 2009 - 9:34pm

Government cuts threaten Freedom Pass

Caroline Pidgeon joined Tom Brake MP and Lewisham Lib Dem councillor Chris Maines to highlight the threat that the Government's cuts pose to the future of London's Freedom Pass.

This cut would be a hit of £1.8 million on the council tax payers of Lewisham, according to Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Maines.

“The Government are moving resources away from London and they are planning a cut that would effectively mean that cross borough travel on buses in London would not be funded.

“This would be a double whammy for Lewisham residents who were promised by Tory Mayor Boris Johnston that he would allow the freedom pass to used before 9.30am on local trains. A promise not yet kept.

13 October 2009 - 8:20pm

London press covers Dial-a-Ride failures

The London press has given wide coverage to the failures of TfL's Dial-a-Ride service, revealed by Caroline Pidgeon's questioning of the Mayor.

Caroline commented then that:

“Three years ago Transport for London promised disabled Londoners a far better deal from Dial-a-Ride. They specifically promised that the number of refused trips would halve in just two years. Yet instead of falling the number of refused trips have actually gone up by more than 50%. It is simply appalling every day of the year more than 400 trips are now refused to Dial-a-Ride users."

The story has been covered in:

13 October 2009 - 7:53pm

Caroline Pidgeon condemns RMT leadership's strike threat

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, commenting on RMT leadership’s threat of strike action following the two-year, above inflation pay offer to their members, said:

“When Londoners are facing such harsh economic times and many are even facing unemployment it is amazing that the RMT leadership can even consider unleashing the economic damage to London’s economy that strike action would bring.

12 October 2009 - 9:59pm

Mayor's record on pedestrian crossings is a disgrace

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, commenting on TfL's latest research on the use of countdown facilities, said:

“Instead of focusing on headline grabbing ideas the Mayor should concentrate on ensuring existing crossings meet current safety standards. Pedestrians should not feel they are taking their lives into their own hands just to cross the road.

9 October 2009 - 9:31pm

Lib Dems oppose doubling flights from City Airport

Leyton & Wanstead Liberal Democrats last Friday hosted a public meeting about the expansion at which London LibDem MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford and London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon spoke and a debate was held. Campaign groups 'Fight the Flights' and the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN) were also represented.

Newham Council recently agreed a more than doubling of flights from London City Airport from the current level of 73,000 flights a year. They are permitting 120,000 by the end of this year and 170,000 by the end of 2010. It is in fact believed (by Fight the Flights) that a further bid for 217,000 flights is contemplated, which would be a tripling of present capacity.

6 October 2009 - 8:44pm

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