London-wide + Haringey stories

Mayor's cuts to Tube ticket offices - "an absolute sham of a consultation"

Caroline Pidgeon, commenting to the Evening Standard, has sharply criticised the Mayor's plans to drastically reduce ticket office services at Tube stations, costing up to 450 jobs and leaving many stations with ticket office staffing for most of the day.

Caroline said:

The Mayor was elected on a clear commitment to keep ticket offices open. His plans to have many closed for most of the day flies in the face of his election commitment. This is an absolute sham of a consultation. If the Mayor really thinks he is consulting Londoners he obviously needs to look up what the word actually means in the dictionary.

You can read the full story at the Evening Standard here.

Caroline chairs World Sickle Cell Day event

Caroline Pidgeon AM chaired a special Sickle Cell Society event to celebrate World Sickle Cell Day on Friday 18th June.

Held near Westminster, the event had a number of superb speakers talking about the development of awareness of Sickle Cell and services for those with the condition, as well as hearing about the work of the Sickle Cell Society.

“I was honoured to be able to help out by chairing this important event. The work of the Sickle Cell Society is very important in raising awareness of this condition that affects many Londoners” added Caroline.

Photo: Caroline Pidgeon AM with Dr Philip Nortey and other members of the Sickle Cell Society at the celebrations

Dial-A-Ride service is still inconsistent and unreliable

As the London Assembly's Transport Committee publishes its report on the shortcomings of TfL's Dial-A-Ride service for people with disabilities, the committee's deputy chair, Caroline Pidgeon AM, has commented:
"It cannot be right that Dial-a-Ride is providing fewer journeys than it did eight years ago but is spending 70 per cent more on the service.

"The improvements to some aspects of the service are welcome, but it’s disappointing that people are still experiencing some of the same old problems with the booking system.

"People rely on Dial-a-Ride and are entitled to expect a consistent and reliable service. I urge Transport for London to take the necessary steps to make this a reality."

Caroline visits Met Specialist Training Centre

On Friday 25th June, Caroline joined other members of the Metropolitan Police Authority on a visit to their specialist firearms training centre in Gravesend.

The Centre includes two mocked up towns with housing, shops and businesses, as well as a train carriage, to allow police officers to be trained in all aspects of incidents which may involve the use of firearms. There are also several ranges for testing skills and for mocked up incidents, as well as a high tech interactive system.

“The level of intensive training that Met Police Officers receive in order to become firearm officers is incredibly high. The day at the centre really showed me how quickly officers have to assess situations and make decisions on how best to act” commented Caroline Pidgeon.

Caroline highlights 300 unsafe pedestrian crossings

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly, writes in a letter to the Evening Standard:

Anyone reading your story on the trial of countdown indicators at pedestrian crossings might think that crossings routinely allow more time than necessary for pedestrians to cross. The reality is often very different ...

Read the full letter here.

Caroline Pidgeon receives pledge that a new approach will be considered for upgrading the Northern Line

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson, today received an assurance from the Mayor that following the end of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for London Underground he will now “look at all options” over how to upgrade the Northern Line.

Caroline Pidgeon, who has been a long-standing advocate of the use of temporary blockades to complete the upgrades, said:

End of PPP is welcome, but the Mayor must now put passengers first

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, commenting on the Mayor’s plans to end PPP for the London Underground, said:

“I welcome the end of the PPP deal, which has proved to be a huge mistake for both the taxpayer and travellers.

“More details are now desperately needed. Instead of warm words the Mayor must now step up to the plate with a detailed plan as to how he will deliver on tube improvements.

Boris's broken promise over later Tube opening

In an Evening Standard article on Boris Johnson's failure to meet his election pledge to extend Tube opening hours on Friday and Saturday nights, Caroline Pidgeon comments:

Extending Tube opening hours across the whole underground on Friday and Saturday nights was one of the most high-profile promises that Boris Johnson made to Londoners to secure his election. Yet so far he has not added a minute to the opening hours of even one line.

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