Transport articles

Boris Johnson makes pledge on East London extension to Caroline Pidgeon

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.

2 February 2009 - 8:10pm

Mayor agrees to look at Lib Dem transport proposals

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.

28 January 2009 - 7:39pm

TfL taken to task over Brixton works

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.

21 January 2009 - 11:55pm

A Better Way To Go

Responding to Boris Johnson’s consultation on his transport document Way To Go, the Liberal Democrat group at the London Assembly today launched their own proposals with the provocative title A Better Way To Go.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Transport Assembly spokesperson, said:

"Above all else the Mayor needs to focus on reducing the need to travel. Many Londoners spend three hours a day getting to and from work in intolerably crowded conditions. It makes no sense for London’s economy to have a workforce which is often stressed and irritable before they get to their desks each day.

"Many people are also facing longer and longer journeys to use key public services or simply to go shopping. There has to be a better way.

16 January 2009 - 9:07pm

The future of Heathrow

Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson on the London Assembly, has spelled out the Liberal Democrats' opposition to a third runway at Heathrow, in an article on LondonUnlocked.org.

Caroline writes:

"If the proposals for a third Heathrow runway go ahead there will be a flight every 90 seconds. 750 homes will be destroyed and an estimated 100,000 children’s education affected by the noise. There will be more cars clogging up roads to the airport and the noise and disturbance will affect literally millions of Londoners due to new flight paths...

15 January 2009 - 9:37pm

Rethink cuts to London's cycling network

Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson at City Hall, seconded a motion at an Assembly meeting on 14th January, calling on the Mayor to rethink his plans to cut funding for the London Cycle Network Plus and to ensure the network is completed by its 2010 target date.

The Mayor’s draft budget for 2009-10 proposes reducing spending on the LCN+ from £20m to £10m.

15 January 2009 - 9:32pm

Don't play games over Crossrail

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Assembly Transport spokesperson, commenting on plans by Conservative MPs to oppose the Business Rate Supplements Bill at its Second Reading, said:

”David Cameron’s Tories cannot afford to play politics with Crossrail. After such extensive delays it is hard to believe that the Tories are willing to take such dangerous risks over the future of Crossrail.

“Blocking such legislation also shows how naïve the Conservative party are, as such legislation will almost certainly be necessary for a new high speed rail link.

12 January 2009 - 9:55pm

Brown must stand by his legacy on London Underground

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Transport spokeswoman on the London Assembly, commenting on today’s London Underground PPP Report, said:

“London Underground has an immense amount of ground to recover since taking over the failed Metronet contracts. We should take some comfort that from an appalling low base it appears to be making good headway at lower cost. In many respects the PPP report gives us the first glimpse of public sector versus the private sector in maintaining and upgrading the Tube.

9 January 2009 - 10:09pm

Pages