Transport articles

24-hour working would reduce disruption for Londoners

In the Evening Standard, Ross Lydall reports on calls for the current works on Albert Bridge to continue 24 hours a day, in order to shorten its 18-month closure.

Caroline Pidgeon is quoted in the article, saying:

If London’s gridlock is to be seriously tackled we need to think of imaginative ways to ensure roadworks and repairs to bridges are carried out far more quickly. Work carried out around the clock could play a key role in ensuring far less grief and disruption for Londoners.

12 April 2010 - 9:47pm

Caroline backs 110 bus rerouting through Whitton

Caroline Pidgeon is backing a campaign by Vince Cable MP to reroute the 110 bus route through Whitton. Caroline has already received a huge petition of over 2000 signatures from local residents which she will present at Mayor's Question Time in May. In the meantime, she has also written to the Mayor urging him to consider extending the bus route.

Vince Cable has also this week met a delegation from Transport for London to persuade them of the case for the extended bus route.

8 April 2010 - 10:05pm

Five-point plan for a better Northern Line upgrade

Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem chair of the London Assembly's Transport Committee, has proposed a five-point plan to get the Northern line upgrade completed with the minimum possible disruption to residents and businesses who rely on the line.

In a letter to Ed Fordham, the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn, Caroline makes these proposals:

  1. All current upgrade plans be immediately suspended for 3-4 months, allowing a full consultation to be conducted, enabling local residents and businesses to have their views heard.

  2. Replace months of early evening and weekend closures with short, sharp bursts of work on sections of the Northern line (blockades lasting several weeks).

  3. Keep the Northern line open when the London Overground rail network or the Jubilee Line are closed for upgrade work.

8 April 2010 - 9:43pm

Visiting Tubelines to review the Northern line upgrade

Caroline joined fellow Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates at a visit to Edgware on Thursday 1st April to see the upgrade works for the Northern line trains. Run by private partner Tubelines, the delegation talked to Tubelines staff about the problems with the proposed closures to the Northern line whilst it is upgraded and discussed other options such as closing smaller bits of the line for a week or two at a time to get the works done quickly and without damaging business for many traders as well as local residents.

“It was very interesting to see the upgrade works to the trains, in particular the huge amount of cabling that is hidden behind the walls of the trains! I hope that Tubelines and Transport for London will get together and find a way forward so that we can get the upgrades done as quickly and painlessly as possible for the sake of Londoners” added Caroline.

1 April 2010 - 10:30pm

Caroline campaigns with Ealing and Hounslow Lib Dems for better Turnham Green services

Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem London Assemly Member, joined local Liberal Democrats for a large 'demo' outside Turnham Green Tube Station, continuing the Lib Dems' their campaign to get Piccadilly Line tubes to stop there all day.

Councillor Gary Malcolm handed a document to Caroline Pidgeon, which she will pass to the Mayor of London asking for a meeting to discuss the possibilities of a 6 month trial to extend the short early morning and late evening stops at the station (which are often unannounced so customers either get to the wrong destination or miss out).

1 April 2010 - 9:56pm

Ticket office cuts in Epping Forest

Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem London Assembly Member and Chair of the Transport Committee, met with campaigners to find out what the impact would be of Boris Johnson's plans to reduce the opening times at four of Epping Forest's Underground Stations.

During the meeting, arranged by the Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner Councillor Ann Haigh, Caroline spoke with many residents outside two of the affected stations, Buckhurst Hill and Epping.

Along with other local Liberal Democrats including Councillors Peter Spencer and Janet Whitehouse, Ann Haigh and Caroline Pidgeon handed out hundreds of petition slips to commuters.

1 April 2010 - 9:48pm

Roadworks make Londoners' journeys unpredictable and horrendously slow

The Evening Standard reports on the disruption caused to drivers and bus passengers by the major roadworks which affect thousands of roads in London every day.

Caroline Pidgeon is quoted saying:

London's road network has probably never faced so much disturbance. For too many people their daily journeys are both unpredictable and horrendously slow.

As well as bridge and tunnel closures, thousands of roads are being dug up by Thames Water, not to mention other utility companies.

28 March 2010 - 2:10pm

We need answers on Surrey Canal Road station

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, commenting on a recent statement by Peter Hendy (Commissioner of Transport for London) that a firm commitment has still not been received from central Government for an additional £7 million funding contribution towards a new station being built at Surrey Canal Road said:

“This is seriously bad news for North Lewisham and for South Bermondsey.

“Despite predictions that a new station would be used by 1.3 million passengers a year and help bring significant investment to the area it seems the Department of Transport are now dithering over whether to support this much needed new station. Without a station at Surrey Canal Road many of the benefits of the second phase of the East London Line extension will be denied to many residents in North Lewisham.

“It is time the Department for Transport clarified their position once and for all. Does their previous pledge to contribute £7 million for this much needed station still stand?

27 March 2010 - 3:34pm

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