London-wide + Kensington and Chelsea stories

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.”

Police must properly engage with the public on body camera trial

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.

Cycle incident analysis exposes TFL's failure to invest in safe cycling infrastructure

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.

Bike hire expansion is welcome, but its record must improve

Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the news that construction work has now started on the south west expansion of the bike hire scheme, said:

“It is great news that by Christmas the bike hire scheme will be operating in new areas in Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Lambeth and Kensington and Chelsea.

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.

Fighting for jobs and small businesses in Earl's Court

Chris Underwood's Shepherd's Bush blog reports on Caroline Pidgeon's letter to Business Secretary Vince Cable, calling on him to urgently review the planning application which Hammersmith & Fulham Council have approved for the redevelopment of Earl's Court - demolishing the exhibition centre which is a key facility to promote British businesses.

You can read the full article here

Transport issues in Earl's Court

Caroline Pidgeon AM joined local Cllr Linda Wade in Earl’s Court on Tuesday 24th July to look at a wide range of concerns in the area. From the London Underground works yard near Earl’s Court Station, to the proposed huge redevelopment of the Exhibition Centre and the massive impact this will have on Earl’s Court Underground Station and local roads.

“Cllr Linda Wade has such great knowledge of the area and quite rightly raises the issues of capacity on the local roads and station as a result of the huge proposed redevelopment. I will continue to work with Cllr Linda Wade and the local Lib Dems to help on these issues” commented Caroline.

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