London-wide + Barking and Dagenham articles

Gospel Oak to Barking: stop letting travellers down by passing the buck

Speaking to City AM, Caroline described her frustration at the poor service on the Gospel Oak to Barking line, and the repeated delays in introducing electric trains to replace the unreliable diesel trains that currently run.

"Users of this line have been badly let down.

"The continual excuses and passing of the buck between TfL, Network Rail and the train manufacturer are a perfect case study of everything that is wrong with our railway industry.

Barking-Gospel Oak Line work has gone seriously wrong

The electrification of the Barking to Gospel Oak Overground line has been delayed once again, and could now take until the end of 2017.

Caroline Pidgeon told the Evening Standard:

“Between TfL and NR something has gone seriously wrong with the electrification of the line.

"This has been increasingly clear for many months. Passengers were promised a year ago that the upgrade work would be finally completed by the end of June 2017.

Network Rail and TfL need to explain further disruption for Gospel Oak-Barking passengers

As Transport for London announced that the London Overground line between Gospel Oak and Barking will now reopen to passengers on Monday 27 February, but that the installation of all of the overhead wires has not been completed on time and more work is required, Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, criticised the way the work has been executed and communicated:

“The fault for these delays rests with some appalling errors made by Network Rail, who have many questions to now answer.

Speaking to local residents in Barking about policing

Caroline Pidgeon went door knocking in Upney in the Borough of Barking with local Lib Dem London Assembly candidate Elaine Bagshaw. Crime was the biggest issue that came up on the door step. If elected, the Lib Dems would increase police numbers in our neighbourhoods to keep London safe.

Civil Aviation Authority have let down people in east London

Caroline Pidgeon, transport spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the concentration of flight paths from London City Airport that are starting today, said:

“The changes that are starting today will mean residents who were hardly overflown at all by planes from London City Airport a few years ago now face living under a concentrated flight path.

Mayor must now come clean over plans for Night Buses

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson, commenting on the announcement that the launch of the Night Tube has been deferred, said:

"This is a big climb down for the Mayor. His retreat is entirely due to his error in setting a specific start date before all the staffing arrangements and other issues had been settled.

"By pushing for a set start date the Mayor strengthened the union’s negotiating position.

One Hour Bus Ticket: a long-standing focus for Caroline and the Lib Dems

Dave Hill's London blog in the Guardian looks at the proposal by potential Labour mayoral candidate Christian Wolmar for a bus ticket valid over multiple journeys for an hour - and points out that this has been a long-standing policy of Caroline Pidgeon and the London Assembly Liberal Democrats:

Upsurge in lift problems at Tube stations harms freedom to travel

Caroline Pidgeon's questions to the Mayor have revealed that between 2013 and 2014, the hours lost due to lift closures on the Tube have risen by 50%, harming the freedom to travel of disabled people and those who depend on step-free access. The main reason was the lack of available trained staff to operate lifts.

Caroline said:

Step-free access to half London's stations is not enough

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on today’s announcement that half of TfL’s rail and Underground stations will be step-free by 2018, said:

“Any progress on making more TfL rail and Underground stations step-free is obviously welcome.

“However we can hardly be complacent when the reality is that in three years’ time half of all TfL rail and Underground will still be permanently inaccessible to disabled people and the many other people who require step free access.”

Pages

Subscribe to London-wide + Barking and Dagenham articles