London-wide + Islington stories

Save Highbury's local shops

Caroline Pidgeon AM joined Highbury East Team members Terry Stacy and Julie Horton to congratulate them on the success of their petition to save local shops, which attracted over 2,500 signatures. As a result of this petition the developers of the former Highbury Vale Police Station have submitted plans to the council for four small commercial units on the ground floor of the building instead of one large one for a supermarket chain.

Thanks to the Lib Dems this real threat of driving the local shops out of business has been stopped.

Crossrail 2 station needed at Essex Road

Plans for a possible new underground line through Islington have been welcomed by local Liberal Democrats, but questions are being asked about a promised station that appears to have vanished off the map.

The Crossrail 2 project would create a new line between north-east and south-west London with faster journey times and improved transport connections and relieve overcrowded existing lines. The scheme will also
create jobs and regenerate areas.

New Routemaster is a "cauldron on wheels" as passengers swelter

As temperatures reached over 30 degrees Celsius inside the poorly cooled new Routemaster replacement buses, Caroline Pidgeon told the Evening Standard:

"After spending a fortune of public money and after extensive testing the public should not have to put up with a cauldron on wheels.

"The Mayor and TfL should stop making excuses and ensure that such basic problems are sorted out as a matter of urgency."

Electrification of Barking to Gospel Oak train line is high voltage news

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.

Government must take opportunity to fund Gospel Oak-Barking electrification

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.

Chancellor urged to fund Gospel Oak to Barking line electrification

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.

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.

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