London-wide + Lewisham stories

Boris Johnson makes pledge on East London extension to Caroline Pidgeon

Boris Johnson has suggested that negotiations to allow the East London Extension to go ahead are now close to completion. Responding to repeated questions from Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, the Mayor stated that he was “confident” it would go ahead, claiming that “we are on the threshold of greatness” and that “we are almost there”.

Caroline Pidgeon, who is the Liberal Democrat Transport Assembly Spokesperson, said:
“After so many years of waiting it is incredibly exciting that we now appear to be so close to a deal being agreed to allow the go ahead of this much needed transport project.

An unfair bill for South Londoners

Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon has persuaded Boris Johnson to support the campaign to ensure that the massive costs of the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes are shared more fairly. At present the bill of over £4 million is falling on the council taxpayers of the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.

Questioned by Caroline Pidgeon the Mayor accepted that the costs of the inquest were exceptional and that it was unfair that the costs of the inquest are being paid by just four London Boroughs.

High price of dithering in Whitefoot

Boris Johnson has this week stated that vital improvements to a junction in south Catford might now go ahead after years of delays.

Responding to a question from Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon, the Mayor stated that Transport for London will start a consultation process for improvements at the junction of Bromley Road and Whitefoot Lane in Spring 2009. At present the junction only has pedestrian lights at two of the four sides of the junction, leaving many pedestrians in a very vulnerable position.

Whitefoot councillor Dan Houghton said:
"For many years TfL have been aware how dangerous this junction is, especially for children. Due to their dithering their own research and modelling for the junction became out of date and they were forced to repeat their investigations, causing further delays. Both pedestrians and the taxpayer have paid a high price for Transport for London's dithering over this junction."

Mayor hits Freedom Pass holders with double whammy

Pensioners and eligible disabled people in London were today hit by a double whammy as the Mayor of London Boris Johnson revealed that not only would their 24-hour Freedom Pass not be able to be used on Network Rail trains before 9.30am, despite this being a key election promise, but that the London Boroughs face paying out millions of pounds to fund Mayor Boris Johnson's 24-hour commitment.

Mayor must seek private funding

Caroline Pidgeon AM, London Assembly Liberal Democrat lead on transport, commenting on Transport for London's Ten Year Business Plan, published today, said:

“It is staggering that schemes such as the Cross River Tram, the Croydon Tramlink Extension, East London Transit, Greenwich Waterfront Transit and plans for an Oxford street tram appear to have been scrapped with nothing in their place apart from, perhaps, a few more polluting diesel buses.

Action on dial-a-ride services

Over many months, Lib Dem Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon received serious complaints about the dial-a-ride services provided by Transport for London. On 3rd September Caroline met Paul Blackwell, General Manager of dial-a-ride, to discuss the many issues that had been raised by dial-a-ride users and to hear about what TfL are doing and have put in place to improve the service.

“It is quite clear that the centralisation of the service has caused huge problems, particularly in certain parts of London, and that their computer system has had real problems. I am trying to get to the bottom of how much the computer system has cost Londoners” commented Caroline.

“I have requested further statistics, going back as far as possible, so that I can really get a clear picture of the maximum length of time users are having to hold on the telephone before speaking to someone. We also need to know how often dial-a-ride are unable to provide a service.

“Soft words are not enough” – Caroline Pidgeon

Liberal Democrat Assembly Member and vice-chair of the Assembly’s Transport Committee Caroline Pidgeon today accused London Mayor Boris Johnson of not doing enough to secure the future of vital transport upgrades in south London.

At the Mayor’s Question Time session in City Hall this morning, Caroline Pidgeon asked what guarantees the Mayor had got from the Secretary of State for Transport Ruth Kelly MP, who he met last week, about the funding for the Cross River Tram project and the East London Line extension as well as other transport projects in London

Lib Dems persuade Boris over East London Line

Boris Johnson has agreed to seek an urgent meeting with the Department for Transport over funding for Phase 2 of the East London Line extension, following questioning from Lib Dem Caroline Pidgeon at Mayor’s Question Time this week.

The Mayor also stated his priorities to securing proper funding from Government for Crossrail and Tube upgrades.

Transport Spokesperson for the London Assembly Liberal Democrats, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

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