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.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrats’ transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, says the Mayor, also the chair of Transport for London, is clearly not fully clued up on the capital’s transport issues.
Caroline says: “Mayor Johnson floundered when asked key questions of fact on whether London transport will be ready for the 2012 Olympics.
“He was clueless about TfL’s £40 million cutback on the North London Line at Camden Road station which will mean only six trains an hour to Stratford instead of eight.
Commenting on the Cross River Tram plans at the Liberal Democrats' autumn conference in Bournemouth, Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrat's transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, says:
"As to what Boris is going to do, that is a very good question. Boris has said he is interested in the Cross River Tram and we have that on record.
"Messages coming out of his office have been very mixed but we need to keep it in his transport strategy and we're lobbying very, very hard on that."
On Tuesday morning a busload of supporters of the Cross River Tram plans arrived en masse at City Hall for the Cross River Tram seminar.
The campaigners, who brought with them a petition of support for the proposed north-south tram link, were met at their journey's end by Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrats' transport spokesperson.
Commenting on the news that Mayor Johnson will not be committing further funding for the Cross River Tram proposals, Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrats' transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, says: “Given how much work and money has already gone into this and given his transport strategy is still under review, it’s staggering the Mayor would say this when he’s not fully reviewed the case.
“The Transport committee will next week be reviewing the case and how the tram can be funded and will put this to the Mayor as a matter of urgency.”
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.
Caroline went to the opening of a new café - Electric Elephant - on the Pullens Estate in West Walworth.
The café is named after the many cinemas around the old Elephant and Castle, one of which was called Elephant Electric. The café will also display works of art from the artists who live and work on the Pullens Estate.
Photos (courtesy of Nick Gurney from Peacock Yard) - Cllr Caroline Pidgeon with Cllr Eliza Mann, the Mayor of Southwark, and Louisa, the owner of Electric Elephant café. Many thanks to Nick for the use of the photo.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrat deputy chair of the London Assembly’s transport committee, has made a fact finding visit to the now well-established Croydon Tramlink along with a delegation from the transport committee.
Caroline says: "We can learn a lot from the Croydon tram experience and this will ensure the Cross River Tram is even more successful."
Commenting on the plans for the new tram to link London across the river she says:
Cllr Jane Salmon joined Caroline at the annual Brandon Festival, organised by tenants’ and residents on the Brandon Estate, led by Jeff Barnett and Ethel Frampton.
The Draper Estate at the Elephant and Castle braved the August weather and held a super summer barbecue for the residents on the estate.
Caroline joined local residents as they ate, drank and danced in their newly refurbished Tenants and Residents' hall garden area.
"Draper Estate always hold fun events for all the family and it was a real pleasure to pop by for an hour and catch up with everyone" said Caroline.