As 101 yellow Cycle Hire bikes arrive to celebrate July's Tour de France stage in London, Caroline Pidgeon has called for the Mayor to "put a bit of fun back into the cycle hire scheme" with more themed bike designs.
"Rather than meeting every corporate wish of Barclays, more varied bike designs could attract far more people, and especially tourists and visitors, onto the bikes", said Caroline.
Caroline Pidgeon AM joined Lib Dem MP for Carshalton and Wallington Tom Brake and local Lib Dem Councillors on Saturday 15th March to campaign on a number of important transport issues.
Firstly Caroline joined the team to once again highlight the issues with the X26 bus which does not stop at The Plough in Beddington even though it did previously. The local Lib Dem Councillors along with Tom Brake MP are calling for Transport for London to reverse this decision.
After a formal question to the Mayor by Caroline Pidgeon AM, Transport for London has admitted that "step-free" stations had a total of 9000 hours of lift failures in 2013 - as well as 500 hours of unplanned closures due to staff shortages or emergency cleaning.
The worst-hit station was Westminster, with over 2000 hours of lift failures.
Caroline commented:
As Boris Johnson admitted he "doesn't quite know what the point of the Garden Bridge is", London Assembly Lib Dem leader Caroline Pidgeon AM commented:
“This is the latest strange comment by the Mayor over the Garden Bridge.
“As the Mayor has agreed to spend at least £30 million of London taxpayers' money on this project he should at least ensure that it operates like a proper bridge.
Local Lib Dem campaigners are calling on the council and Transport for London to take urgent action to address tailback misery in Whitton.
Local campaigners invited London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon to Whitton to see the worsening traffic conditions for residents trying to get on to the A316 from Hospital Bridge Road.
Speaking to the MayorWatch website, Lib Dem London Assembly leader Caroline Pidgeon had called for the Mayor to publish complete details of the funding that TfL has received from London boroughs, Barclays and others for the cycle hire scheme over the last four years.
Caroline said:
“Getting to the bottom of how the cycle hire scheme has actually been funded has been a continual battle. Over the last four years there has been far too much confusion and secrecy over the sponsorship deal.
Speaking to the Wharf newspaper as Transport For London announced discounts for Newham and Greenwich residents on the Thames cable car, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"Providing cheap travel on the cable car for Greenwich and Newham residents is obviously welcome news for people that live in these two boroughs, but this latest development will not be sufficient to turn around the dismal passenger figures for people using the cable car.
Sutton residents had the chance to debate cycling safety in the borough, as Carshalton and Wallington MP Tom Brake hosted Sutton’s first ever Cycling Safety Summit.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting ahead of fare rises that will be introduced across the whole of the Transport for London network from 19th January, said:
“Thankfully the Mayor was forced to back down on his initial proposals to hike up travelcards above the rate of inflation.
Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on today’s announcement that Transport for London, will permanently permit bicycles on off-peak Docklands Light Railway trains said:
“This is an incredibly welcome decision. I am not surprised at all that the recent trial allowing non-folding bicycles on the DLR has been a success as there was no real argument to support the total prohibition of bikes being allowed on the DLR.