Administrator's blog

The loss of 12 fire stations and 18 fire engines is totally unacceptable, claim the Liberal Democrat Group on the London Assembly.

In a formal response to the London Fire Brigade’s consultation on the draft London Safety Plan they repeat their opposition to the loss of fire stations and engines across London, highlighting how it will lead to increased responses times for many Londoners.

Commenting on the news that funding has been very nearly agreed for the £75m Crossrail station in Woolwich, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

“If an agreement is close to finally being reached for the funding of a Crossrail Woolwich station, that is clearly great news. The failure to deliver a station would be an absolute betrayal for people in south-east London, denying them the improved transport links and economic benefits that Crossrail is set to bring to so many other places.”

Airport capacity in London is currently underused, with some of London's airports having more than half their runway slots free, says a new London Assembly report. Even Heathrow – at 99 per cent runway capacity – might potentially fly an additional 20 million passengers every year if larger aircraft were used.

The Transport Committee’s report – Airport Capacity in London – suggests existing airport capacity in London, including at busier Heathrow and Gatwick airports, could be used more effectively.

Its reasearch shows:

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on reports today that Transport for London plan to shut the Jubilee Line for more than 30 days through central London due to acidic water eating into the tunnels walls, said:

"Instead of over 18 months of repeated weekend and holiday closures I question whether one intensive block closure perhaps in August would be both cheaper and less disruptive.

The BBC reports on the Mayor's plan to spend £160,000... "to find out why many people do not know what he does"!

Caroline Pidgeon told the BBC:
"The Mayor of London already has a large press office and Transport for London devote huge resources to promoting him as well.

"It beggars belief that anyone seriously thinks additional public money should be spent on promoting the Mayor or defending his policies.

"This appears to have more to do with the Mayor's wider national ambitions than what is proper for London taxpayers."