London-wide + Kingston stories
Seven week holiday for fare dodgers
12 January 2012 - 11:52pm — AdministratorDespite hiking up fares at the start of 2012 the Mayor has delayed his plans to get tough on fare evaders, reveals Caroline Pidgeon, the leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group.
In August 2011 Transport for London started a consultation proposing to increase the penalty fare on all TfL services to £80 with the proposed introduction date for the new rate being the 2nd January 2012. On the 29th November 2011 the Mayor of London then signed a Mayoral decision which again stated that the increased penalty fare would start from the 2nd January 2012.
Good news on Waterloo ex-Eurostar platforms - but we need more
12 January 2012 - 11:50pm — Administrator
Speaking as the government announced that one of Waterloo's former Eurostar platforms can be used from May 2013 for commuter services, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"It is clearly good news that at least one platform is now to be brought back into use to help relieve overcrowding.
"We now need to see a timetable for when the other platforms will be open."
Read the South London Press's coverage here.
Reopening of former Eurostar platform at Waterloo is a welcome step
23 December 2011 - 9:23pm — Administrator
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport spokesperson, today welcomed the announcement by Transport Secretary Justine Greening MP that passengers on some lines serving commuters on a number of the busiest rail routes from south west London into Waterloo are set to benefit from extra carriages to ease overcrowding, and that one platform at the former Waterloo International Station is to be reopened for commuter services.
Commenting on the decision, Caroline Pidgeon said:
River Thames is a great opportunity for transport
23 December 2011 - 8:55pm — Administrator
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.
Double by-election in Kingston
5 December 2011 - 10:01pm — Administrator
Caroline Pidgeon AM joined Brian Paddick and Lib Dem Assembly Candidate Shas Sheehan, along with strong campaigner Robin Meltzer out in Coombe Vale ward in Kingston on Friday 25th November.
The team were out campaigning for Kamala Kugan and Rupert Nichol to be the new local councillors for the ward after two of the Conservative members have resigned.
“We had a great team out on the doors and it is clear the area needs strong Lib Dem champions. I have no doubt Kamala and Rupert will be excellent representatives for the area”, commented Caroline.
Campaigning in Surbiton Hill
6 September 2011 - 8:31pm — Administrator
Caroline has been campaigning in Surbiton Hill over recent weeks with John Ayles, the Liberal Democrat local candidate in the forthcoming by-election on 15th September.
Caroline Joined John and the local Lib Dem Team with Mike Tuffrey AM on Sunday 4th September, along with Lambeth councillors Ashley Lumsden and Roger Giess.
Making London's roads safer for cyclists
30 May 2011 - 3:39pm — Administrator
Caroline Pidgeon is continuing to support action to tackle the high number of accidents and fatalities that face cyclists on London's roads. London faces an especially serious problem with accidents involving collisions between lorries and cyclists at junctions.
A recent question asked by Caroline to the Mayor revealed that in 2009 six cyclists were killed on London's roads in accidents involving a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV), and with a further two cyclists killed in accidents involving a refuse lorry and a cement mixer. In 2010 there were two cyclists killed in accidents involving vehicles and two further two fatal collisions including a skip lorry and a cement truck.
Caroline has already given her full support to the campaign by the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) for better training for lorry drivers and recently received the petition that had already gathered more than 10,000 signatures. Read more information about the campaign here.
South West Trains passengers must wait months for Oyster top-up
26 May 2011 - 10:45pm — AdministratorSouth West Train passengers may face a wait of many more months before they can finally obtain Oyster top-up from station ticket machines in the London area, Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, has been informed this week.
Both South West Trains and Transport for London declared back in November 2010 that by May 2011 all ticket vending machines within the London Travel zone would allow passengers to top-up their Oyster cards. The latest delay has been explained as being due to technical problems facing Cubic, the technical supplier of Oyster to Transport for London. At present South West Trains are unable to give any indication to Caroline Pidgeon as to when the technical problems will finally be resolved.
Greening Tolworth Broadway
27 March 2011 - 1:00am — Administrator
Caroline Pidgeon AM hosted a meeting on 22nd February with Cllr Daniel Moylan, Deputy Chair of Transport for London and TfL officers with local Kingston Councillors Derek Osbourne, Frances Moseley and Vicki Harris to try to help the Tolworth Broadway design project move forward.
The exciting plans for Tolworth Broadway would see barriers removed and a wonderful wide cycle and pedestrian route along the central reservation up to Tolworth station. The route would be distinct with green quality materials used for the surface in stripes, and would ideally go across the traffic island as well.
£109,000 in Oyster overcharges for Kingston train users
19 March 2011 - 9:09pm — AdministratorThe Kingston Guardian reports on the £109,000 overcharges incurred by local passengers in 2010 for "incomplete Oyster journeys".
And you can read the full data here on Caroline's site.
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