Caroline's news

Deputy Chair of the Transport Committee, Caroline Pidgeon AM has received a petition from College Ward Conservative Councillor Lewis Robinson calling for improvements for pedestrian safety at the notorious Dulwich Common junction with the South Circular.

Caroline has visited the site many times, including previously with Cllr Robinson and has supported his work calling for a “pedestrian phasing” onto the traffic lights at this busy junction. Many local residents believe they are “taking their life into their hands” using the existing crossing. The campaign is also supported by the Dulwich Society, which has over a thousand local members and in their latest journal said “The danger to pedestrians in this situation is very clear”.

Responding to figures showing that passengers were overcharged £60m on Oyster cards last year due to "incomplete journeys", Caroline Pidgeon commented:

“The fact that train users are overcharged three times as much as Tube users exposes just what a lottery it is to be correctly charged by Oyster Pay as You Go.

As a Transport for London report showed that 25% of Londoners - and 35% from black and minority ethnic communities - are deterred from public transport by the fear of crime, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

“One can speculate that the variation in fear of crime is due to such factors as greater dependence on public transport by some communities, however speculation will only get us so far.

As Boris Johnson disputed the conclusions of a coroner's report finding that cycle superhighways create a false sense of security for cyclists, Lib Dem London Assembly leader Caroline Pidgeon said:

“The Mayor is simply wrong to question the views of the independent coroner who listened to expert witnesses before publishing her report. His inability to admit fundamental mistakes were made is a serious hindrance to improving road safety.”

Speaking to the Evening Standard on figures showing that of 40 deaths of cyclists on London's roads between 2010 and 2012, only 4 resulted in prison sentences for careless driving, Caroline Pidgeon said:

“All the evidence does suggest that far too often lenient sentences are being handed down to motorists and lorry drivers who have been convicted for careless driving which has contributed to the death of a cyclist.”