London-wide + Havering stories

Public transport investment must be top priority for East London

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.

Save our London neighbourhood policing

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.”

Mayor should admit he is decimating Safer Neigbourhood Teams

Caroline Pidgeon AM, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor’s response today to her questions about the future of Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) across London, where he failed to recognise that there would be a reduction in dedicated police officers for each safer neighbourhood team, said:

“The Mayor should come clean with Londoners and admit that he is decimating the current and successful model for safer neighbourhood teams.

Campaigning in Harold Wood

Caroline led a team of Assembly candidates including Merlene Emerson and Nick Russell out to Havering on Thursday to campaign with local members Jonathan Cole, Pamela Cole and Ian Sanderson.

The team looked at problems with the A12 junction with Gubbins Lane and Gooshays Drive before door knocking in the area.

More Pidgeons in Havering

Caroline met up with her long lost second cousin Greg Pidgeon and his wife Mel whilst out on the campaign trail in Havering.

Greg had got in touch having seen Caroline on the local news.

“It was fantastic to meet Greg and Mel and to look at old photos of our family including my great uncle!”

Havering crossings are unsafe for people with disabilities

Figures obtained from TfL by Caroline Pidgeon have shown that several pedestrian crossings in Havering do not meet minimum safety standards - either because they do not have the required equipment to make them safe for blind and partially sighted people, or because the time to cross is too short for people with limited mobility.

The crossings are located at:

  • Abbs Cross Lane/Hornchurch Road/High Street, Hornchurch
  • Rom Valley Way/Rush Green Road (Roneo Corner)
  • Oldchurch Road/Thurloe Gardens/South Street, Romford
  • the A12 at Colchester Road/Whitelands Way
  • Eastern Avenue/North Street/Havering Road, Romford

River Thames is a great opportunity for transport

The River Thames is a forgotten highway, a tube line effectively, across the centre of London and yet under-resourced in terms of transport.

In January, the London Assembly Transport Committee is looking into river transport services - so Caroline and other Committee members spent a chilly morning in early December out and about on the river with Thames Clippers from Putney to Erith, looking at the challenges and opportunities to really expand river transport services for Londoners.

Accessibility of London's transport network still falls short

The London Assembly Transport Committee has published a report in response to TfL’s new proposals on transport accessibility, showing that step-free access and other accessibility measures fall far short of the growing need for them, with half of bus stops, two thirds of rail stations, and three quarters of tube stations, not fully accessible to people with limited mobility.

The report argues for a range of measures, including low-cost steps such as allowing manual ramps, upgrading pedestrian crossings, providing better training for bus drivers, and improving online and paper maps.

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