Caroline Pidgeon AM carried out a site visit with TfL to Blackfriars bridge on Monday 18th April to look on site at the new plans that TfL are proposing for the design of the junction.
The new plans, which would be introduced after the works to Blackfriars station are complete, result in the removal of an existing cycle lane and priority really given to vehicles rather than pedestrians and cyclists.
Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor’s announcement of a lead contractor to construct London’s cable car, said:
“A cable car crossing the Thames is a great idea, but it is a great idea being let down by poor financial planning and a lack of openness.
“The Mayor must now come clean and state why as recently as July 2010 he was claiming the cable car would cost £25 million, but already its projected cost has doubled.
Last Autumn saw the dreadful news that the late night service on the Clipper service was being removed from the winter timetable.
The good news is that following an excellent campaign run by commuters, Southwark Liberal Democrat Councillors and Caroline (read more on Caroline's site here and here) an evening service has now returned, starting from the 1st April.
Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on a new approach being adopted by London Underground to upgrade work on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines where there will be no weekend closures simply for signalling installation and testing work, said:
”At long last Transport for London and the Mayor have woken up to the fact that a new approach to upgrading the tube is possible which avoids the utter misery of closing whole tube lines.
Caroline Pidgeon has exposed the immense waste by Transport for London (TfL) in allowing buildings in Catford to remain empty for almost 25 years.
Transport for London have been urged by Caroline Pidgeon and Lewisham Liberal Democrat Councillors to either refurbish the buildings or sell then.
Chris Maines, leader of the Liberal Democrat Council Group on Lewisham said "These buildings have just been sitting there unused for years and years now. It is a total waste of money.