In the news articles

Cycle hire isn't working for commuters

10 February 2013 - 5:29pm — Administrator

The Evening Standard has an article exploring the problems faced by commuters trying to use the cycle hire scheme, but finding there are no bikes available, or nowhere to dock them at the end of their journey. As the London Liberal Democrats have discovered, in May 2012 an astonishing 381 stations were entirely empty for more than an hour each day on average, and that 83 stations were empty for six hours or more each day — rendering them futile for long periods.

Cable car fares need an overhaul

2 February 2013 - 9:53pm — Administrator

Commenting on figures that showed the Thames cable car having its lowest ever usage in the week ending 15th December, Caroline Pidgeon commented:

"It is normal practice for a new transport link to experience a growing number of passengers as people find out about the route and start using it on a regular basis.

"The Thames cable car is totally bucking the trend with its passenger figures seeing a consistent downward trend.

Turn Bricklayers' Arms flyover into a park

24 January 2013 - 5:01am — Administrator

The London SE1 website reports on Caroline Pidgeon's suggestion to the mayor to turn the Bricklayers' Arms flyover in Southwark into an elevated park like New York's High Line.

Boris Johnson has said that Transport for London have no plans to close the flyover to traffic, but has asked TfL to review ways of reducing the environmental impact of the flyover.

"Gearing Up" proposals are a big positive step for King's Cross

31 December 2012 - 10:24am — Administrator

The King's Cross Environment blog has a report on the London Assembly Transport Committee's report "Gearing Up", and what its proposals could mean for cycling safety around King's Cross.

Blogger Sophie Talbot says:

On first reading it’s a report that appears not to pull its punches. Clear in its message that London needs to take action and fast. It’s timely too. Right now Transport for London is consulting on the changes it will propose to the road system in King’s Cross. This report certainly appears to summarise the vast majority of changes our community has wanted for many, many years and more. Importantly it includes a very clear and highly appropriate timetable against which the Mayor and TfL should report progress

Cable car usage reaches record low

21 December 2012 - 10:41am — Administrator

Greenwich Lib Dem blogger Chris Smith reports on the weekly figures showing the lowest usage yet on the Thames cable car, and echoes Caroline Pidgeon's concerns that the cable car is being managed more as a tourist attraction than a serious form of transport.

Mile End plans offer little for cyclists

14 December 2012 - 9:33pm — Administrator

Proposed improvements to the Mile End Road and Burdett Road junction are totally inadequate and fail to provide any significant benefits for cyclists, claims Caroline Pidgeon AM, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group and chair of the London Assembly’s transport committee.

Responding to Transport for London’s (TfL) consultation on the review of this junction, which is part of a wider exercise to review the safety of 100 junctions across London for cyclists, Caroline Pidgeon said:

“Quite frankly these proposals appear to be the weakest plans to have emerged from TfL’s junction review so far. The introduction of mandatory cycle lanes is welcome, but there is little else that will benefit cyclists. Indeed some of the changes will make the junction more intimidating and potentially even more dangerous."

Cable car needs to be a serious mode of transport

19 November 2012 - 11:44pm — Administrator

Speaking to the BBC about the extremely low passenger numbers on the Thames cable car, Caroline Pidgeon said:

"All we're seeing is a publicly funded tourist attraction rather than a serious mode of transport. What the Mayor now needs to do is to incorporate it in the Travelcard network, to make sure people are using it, rather than the handful that are today."

TfL's lack of ambition as superhighway stops short

19 November 2012 - 11:31pm — Administrator

Talking to the local 853 blog, Caroline Pidgeon criticised the lost opportunity to link Lewisham to central London with a cycle superhighway.

“Just one week after the Mayor and TfL were boasting about the new Victoria to Lewisham Superhighway we now discover that the plans have been seriously scaled back," said Caroline.

“The excuses for not linking the Superhighway to Lewisham show a total lack of ambition by Transport for London.

“This foolish decision suggests the Mayor of London is not really serious about introducing Dutch-style cycling infrastructure across London.”

You can read the full story here.

You can also read more at the News Shopper.

£60m cable car has just 1400 regular users

26 October 2012 - 1:05am — Administrator

The Snipe London website reports that - as revealed by Caroline Pidgeon's question to the Mayor - only 1400 people have used the Greenwich-Newham cable car often enough to get the discount for frequent users.

Read the full article here.

Cycle hire is still wrongly charging users

26 October 2012 - 1:00am — Administrator

Speaking to the Money Saving Expert website on the risk of erroneous cycle hire charges, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"The scheme is not 100% reliable and I have been contacted by dozens of people who after inserting their bank or credit card have being wrongly charged, sometimes by £150."