Transport articles

Mayor's Question Time - complacency on cycle safety continues

The Arts London website and the Camden New Journal report on Mayor's Question Time this week - with Boris Johnson failing to commit to concrete action on cycling safety.

Caroline Pidgeon challenged Boris Johnson:

You've said you will personally look at cyclist fatalities but do you regret that at last week's TfL board not one board member raised the issue of the two recent tragic deaths on London's roads, and challenged TfL or Mr Hendy as to what TfL is doing to make the roads safer?

18 November 2011 - 11:22am

Mayor admits to bus capacity cuts across London

Boris Johnson has admitted that from this weekend capacity will be cut back on the 436 bus route, a key route which runs from Lewisham through Southwark and Lambeth and onto Paddington. A reduction in capacity is likely to mean more crowded buses as people travel on smaller sized vehicles.

Following questioning from Caroline Pidgeon, the leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group at Wednesday's Mayor Question Time, the Mayor accepted that at all times of the day there would be less capacity on the route. The Mayor conceded that reductions in capacity have also taken place on some other bus routes.

Caroline Pidgeon said:

“The key issue is not whether bendy buses are good or bad, but simply whether people can get on a bus. The Mayor promised to get rid of bendy buses - he didn’t promise to make bus journeys more crowded.

18 November 2011 - 10:50am

Warm welcome to Bankside and South Bank signage at Blackfriars station

The decision by Network Rail to include the words “London Blackfriars - for Bankside and South Bank” on platform signage on the southern side of Blackfriars has been warmly welcomed by Caroline Pidgeon, the leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, along with Simon Hughes MP. The changes follow Caroline and Simon's long campaign for a changed name to Blackfriars station.

Commenting on Network Rail's proposals Caroline said:

14 November 2011 - 9:07pm

Mayor must urgently listen to cyclists on danger junctions

Commenting following the tragic death of a cyclist on a cycle superhighway in Bow - the 15th cycling death in London this year - Caroline Pidgeon said:

"With London roads seeing a 50 per cent increase in cycle deaths this year it is time the Mayor accepted the need to urgently examine the design of London's most dangerous junctions.

"Instead of lecturing people about cycling the Mayor must start to listen to the concerns of cyclists."

Caroline, along with Simon Hughes MP, and Lib Dem London Assembly candidate for Lambeth and Southwark, Rob Blackie, joined several hundred local cyclists on a bike ride around London's ten most dangerous junctions, to raise awareness of cycle safety issues and protest at TfL's lack of progress in safeguarding cyclists and pedestrians.

12 November 2011 - 5:50pm

We still have a long way to go to make streets safe for cyclists

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor’s reply to her questions about cycle safety and TfL’s limited proposals that were announced today to improve conditions for London cyclists, said:

“The harsh fact is that 14 cyclists have already died on London’s roads this year compared to 10 last year. These figures speak for themselves about the need for urgent action.

“Today’s measures announced by TfL are therefore welcome, but there is still much more that must be done to ensure London’s roads are far safer for cyclists.

10 November 2011 - 11:16pm

Metal theft costs £1bn a year and causes severe transport disruption

The London Assembly has unanimously backed Caroline Pidgeon's motion calling for cash payments for scrap metal to be outlawed - alongside the introduction of tougher penalties for metal and cable theft - to help end the increasing disruption and distress thieves are causing.

Proposing the motion, Caroline said:
“The theft of metal is costing the economy around a billion pounds and causing serious disruption to passengers – and it’s getting worse.

10 November 2011 - 11:15pm

Mayor and TfL have learned nothing on Remembrance Sunday closures

Speaking to the Evening Standard about the news that - in a repeat of what happened in 2010 - there will be extensive tube closures on Remembrance Sunday, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

It is simply staggering that the Mayor and TfL have failed to learn any lessons from the mistakes made last year when so much of the tube and London transport was closed or disrupted on Remembrance Sunday. If there is one weekend of the year when getting around London should not be hit by closures and partial closures surely it is this weekend.

4 November 2011 - 8:36pm

Make cycling safe: enough is enough

Caroline Pidgeon wrote this article in the 28th October 2011 edition of Lib Dem News:

Min Joo Lee is probably not a name you will recognise. However the death of this 24-year Korean fashion student could well be starting a revolution in cycling in London and possibly further afield.

Incredibly she is the 13th person to die on London’s roads this year. In 2010 there were “just” 10 deaths. When this year’s death toll for cyclists already surpasses the figure for the last year, we should all be very worried.

31 October 2011 - 9:36pm

Out and about in Streatham

Caroline Pidgeon AM and Brian Paddick, Lib Dem London Mayoral Candidate joined Streatham Lib Dem Councillors on Wednesday 19th October on an extensive walkabout on Streatham High Road.

The team met local residents and traders who had been affected by the riots, and met campaigners outside Streatham Police Station who are fighting to keep the front counter open to the public. They also saw the half completed upgrade to the central reservation which has gone on and on for years.

The team collected signatures outside Streatham Station campaigning for Thameslink trains to continue to go beyond Blackfriars once the new Thameslink timetable comes into operation.

28 October 2011 - 10:09am

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