Caroline's news

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.

After years of pressure from Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon, Network Rail has finally agreed to repaint parts of the railway bridge at Wimbledon Chase station in order to cover up the offensive and antisocial graffiti on the bridge.

In a letter from Network Rail’s Chief Executive David Higgins to Caroline Pidgeon, the company has promised to repaint the four corners of the bridge to help improve its appearance.

Caroline Pidgeon AM said:
"After years of campaigning on the issue of the unsightly graffiti on Wimbledon Chase Bridge, I am delighted that Network Rail has finally seen sense and is going to make much needed improvements by cleaning up the bridge.

In a new report, the London Assembly Transport Committee has cautioned that plans to charge for lane rental to regulate roadworks on the capital’s streets may have consequences for Londoners – including higher utility bills - that must be addressed before any schemes are introduced.

In its response to both the Government’s and Transport for London’s (TfL) lane rental consultation, the London Assembly Transport Committee calls for a more detailed assessment of the benefits and costs of lane rental to ensure it is suitable for tackling road congestion long-term.

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London assembly, joined Lib Dem candidate for London Mayor, Brian Paddick, for his first official campaign visit with Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, in which he called for a more robust approach to payback sentencing.

The London Assembly Transport Committee has published a report in response to TfL’s new proposals on transport accessibility, showing that step-free access and other accessibility measures fall far short of the growing need for them, with half of bus stops, two thirds of rail stations, and three quarters of tube stations, not fully accessible to people with limited mobility.

The report argues for a range of measures, including low-cost steps such as allowing manual ramps, upgrading pedestrian crossings, providing better training for bus drivers, and improving online and paper maps.