Tackling knife crime must be top of London's agenda
Commenting on the latest knife attacks affecting Londoners - and especially teenagers - Caroline Pidgeon AM, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, said:
Commenting on the latest knife attacks affecting Londoners - and especially teenagers - Caroline Pidgeon AM, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, said:
As a Freedom Of Information request revealed that just one person has given feedback to the Metropolitan Police's consultation of the use of body-worn cameras by officers, Caroline Pidgeon said:
“The technology should make the police more accountable to the public and help route out police malpractices committed by a very small minority of police officers.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on a report by the insurance company Aviva which has analysed police road traffic collision data between 2009 to 2013 on London’s roads, said:
These figures confirm that cycling around many gyratories and especially roundabouts such as the Elephant and Castle is nothing less than a Tour de Danger for cyclists.
A Transport for London consultation on new river crossings in east London, which closes this week, is far too centred around motorists and completely overlooks the need for significant improvements in public transport in south east London, is the key message made by Caroline Pidgeon AM, in the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group’s consultation response.
Caroline Pidgeon AM joined thousands of other Londoners in a mass cycle ride on Saturday 17th May in support of the Space for Cycling Campaign organised by the London Cycling Campaign in the run up to the London borough elections.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the confirmation today by the Treasury that funding has been secured to ensure the long overdue electrification of the Barking to Gospel Oak train line, said:
“This is incredibly welcome news. Electrification of this railway line stretching from Barking to Gospel Oak is exactly what long suffering passengers on this line have been waiting for. They can now look forward to a much more reliable service.
The London Assembly’s Transport Committee has heard from Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, about the next opportunity for funding the electrification of the Gospel Oak-Barking line.
No details were provided in last month’s Budget, despite an announcement delivering £3 billion a year on infrastructure, but his letter suggests that the proposal may be reconsidered in the next spending round in June.
The London Assembly’s Transport Committee has written to George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to urge him to fund the proposed electrification of the Gospel Oak to Barking railway line.
Electrification of the line would bring significant improvements for both freight and passenger traffic, including reduced overcrowding for passengers, improved connectivity with the rest of London’s rail network, environmental benefits and the ability to run longer trains on the line.
The London Assembly today urged Mayor Boris Johnson to halt his plans to dilute police Safer Neighbourhood Teams and recklessly close police front counters across London.
The Assembly's motion calls on the Mayor to retain the existing neighbourhood policing model of a dedicated sergeant, supported by two Constables and three Police Community Support Officers, allocated to each ward in London.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, who seconded the motion, said:
“Londoners value their local police stations and the local, recognisable police teams dedicated to serving their ward. Shutting up cop shops to public access and destroying the local policing model risks setting policing back more than a decade and separating the police from their communities.”
Caroline Pidgeon AM recently visited the Olympic Park to meet with the London Legacy Development Corporation and to see first hand the plans for new housing and the conversion of the existing housing in East Village, the flats used by athletes during the 2012 Games.
"It was good to see so much progress and to hear the plans going forward. I would however like to see a lot more social and genuinely affordable housing in the next phases of housing" commented Caroline.