Transport articles

Liberal Democrats call for cycling culture change

Southwark’s Liberal Democrats have called for a ‘Cycling Culture Change’ at all levels of government following their successful summit on cycling last week.

The event was attended by over 30 people including the head of Southwark Cyclists and the father of Ellie Carey who died in a collision in Abbey Street last September.

Local Liberal Democrat politicians Simon Hughes MP, Caroline Pidgeon AM and numerous councillors attended the event and listened to the suggestions for tackling the problems faced by cyclists on Southwark’s roads.

17 March 2012 - 5:31pm

Every Londoner owed £8 by embassies dodging Congestion Charge

The amount of unpaid Congestion Charge and penalty charge notices owed by embassies and diplomatic missions that evade paying the Congestion Charge is now more than £60 million, according to new figures obtained by Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group. Every single Londoner is owed more than £8 by non paying embassies and diplomatic missions.

12 March 2012 - 10:17pm

Fairer Fares - affordable proposals that would make an immense difference

Writing for the London Loves Business website, Caroline Pidgeon discusses the areas where Transport for London needs to treat Londoners fairly - including returning the £55m held on dormant Oyster cards, and stopping the overcharging of passengers for "incomplete" journeys - and outlines the London Liberal Democrats' key transport policies:

There really are policies which can make fares fairer, which are affordable and will not undermine TfL’s much needed investment programme.

The Liberal Democrats are advocating a one hour bus ticket, so people can make two or three short bus journeys for the cost of a single fare. You can do this on the Tube, so it is only right bus users can do the same. Time limited bus fares are actually quite common in other European cities. It is time London caught up.

10 March 2012 - 12:26am

We need to do far more than just expand the bike hire scheme eastwards

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the eastward expansion of the London bike hire scheme, said:

“Today’s eastward expansion of the bike hire scheme is welcome, but in reality we need to do far more to improve the scheme so it can be enjoyed by far more Londoners.

“The fun and excitement of the bike hire scheme has now largely gone.

8 March 2012 - 10:54pm

TfL is sitting on £55m of unused Oyster cash

Commenting on figures showing that Transport for London has retained £55m in cash balances on Oyster cards that are no longer used, Caroline Pidgeon told the BBC:
"Transport for London is now sitting on a cash pile of £55m which should be returned to passengers.

"TfL claim people can easily reclaim their money from dormant Oyster cards but the evidence suggests otherwise. If it really was simple for passengers to reclaim their money, why has the amount left on dormant Oyster cards doubled in the last two years?"

8 March 2012 - 10:51pm

Stop charging pedestrians just to cross Blackfriars rail bridge

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, is urging First Capital Connect and Network Rail to stop charging passengers for just walking over the bridge.

At present if anyone using Oyster Pay As You Go enters the station south of the river and passes through the First Capital Connect barriers to get to the tube platforms they are not charged, however people who simply want to walk through the station without catching a train or Tube are being charged.

Caroline Pidgeon commented:

2 March 2012 - 11:50pm

TfL will propose safety measures for Abbey St danger junction

The London SE1 website reports that Transport for London is at last giving serious consideration to improved safety measures at the junction of Abbey Street and Tower Bridge Road in Bermondsey - where cyclist Ellie Carey was tragically killed last year.

Caroline Pidgeon said:
"It is good news that the Mayor and TfL now concede that at least advanced stop lines can be completed before the start of the the Olympic Games.

"I will be pushing hard to ensure such basic improvements are completed as a matter of urgency."

Read the full article here.

2 March 2012 - 11:48pm

One new bus will not cover up Boris Johnson’s real record

Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the single new ‘routemaster’ bus that will start to operate from Monday on the 38 route between Victoria Station and Hackney, said:

“Boris Johnson made two specific promises to Londoners. One that the new ‘routemaster’ style buses would be on London’s streets in 2011, and two, that the development costs associated with any new bus would be picked up by industry. He has broken both these promises.

26 February 2012 - 11:04am

The Thames is still London's forgotten highway

The London Assembly's Transport Committee has published a report highlighting the improvements that still need to be made in order to make full use of the Thames as a resource for transport.

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, said:
“While there have been some developments and passenger numbers have grown, it’s frustrating that progress is so slow on expanding a service that has so much potential – particularly for the 2012 Games.

“Our last report described the Thames as London’s forgotten highway and unfortunately in many ways it still is.

26 February 2012 - 10:51am

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