Caroline joined local campaigners in Islington on Monday 26 October to support the launch of their access to Finsbury Park station campaign.
The Mayor of London has announced the deferral of many step free access schemes at various tube stations all over the capital including Finsbury Park in Islington.
Caroline Pidgeon joined a cross party group to speak out against planned cuts to Lewisham's local rail services, and to take their campaign to Government ministers.
The South London Press reported on the campaign here.
The group have also written a letter to the South London Press, setting out their stance:
Dear Sir,
We are deeply concerned by the proposed deep cuts to already overcrowded train services run by Southern Railways via Sydenham, Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, Brockley and New Cross Gate. Passengers are rightly outraged by these cuts and concerned that an already overcrowded and unpleasant commute will turn into a daily nightmare.
Caroline Pidgeon AM recently visited the dangerous Cavendish Road Junction with Clapham Common Southside with local campaigner Chris Nicholson, Lib Dem Cllr Darren Saunders and Transport for London engineers.
“We witnessed people trying desperately to cross this complicated and busy junction without a clue as to which way traffic might move next” commented Caroline.
“The whole junction just does not work and means residents have to take real risks just to get across the road. TfL have agreed to see if the cones on the traffic lights can be reduced in length so at least pedestrians can see the colour of the traffic lights and to look to rework the whole junction to make it easier for pedestrians. This will take a while for the various options to be worked up. We will keep up the pressure to make this area safer for local people” added Caroline.
Caroline Pidgeon joined Tom Brake MP and Lewisham Lib Dem councillor Chris Maines to highlight the threat that the Government's cuts pose to the future of London's Freedom Pass.
This cut would be a hit of £1.8 million on the council tax payers of Lewisham, according to Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Maines.
“The Government are moving resources away from London and they are planning a cut that would effectively mean that cross borough travel on buses in London would not be funded.
“This would be a double whammy for Lewisham residents who were promised by Tory Mayor Boris Johnston that he would allow the freedom pass to used before 9.30am on local trains. A promise not yet kept.
Caroline Pidgeon and Jelil Ladipo, Newington Lib Dem councillors, joined Canon Grahame Shaw from St Paul's Lorrimore local square, along with many local residents, to protest against overdevelopment of the Old Police Station Garden on Walworth Road.
“This is an overdevelopment of this site. Ideally we would like it to become a small community green space – much needed in this busy part of Walworth. The planning application is simply a bad design and far too big for this site, ignoring the historic design on many local buildings including the old police station. I hope the Council will reject it” commented Caroline.
Caroline joined Ed Davey MP and Chris Nicholson, the Lib Dems Parliamentary Campaigner for Streatham, out and about in Streatham on Saturday 10th October.
"Local residents were telling us how unhappy they are with the poor housing services they are receiving in Lambeth" commented Caroline Pidgeon AM.
Chris Nicholson and the local Lib Dems are working tirelessly for Streatham residents all year round.
Leyton & Wanstead Liberal Democrats last Friday hosted a public meeting about the expansion at which London LibDem MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford and London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon spoke and a debate was held. Campaign groups 'Fight the Flights' and the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN) were also represented.
Newham Council recently agreed a more than doubling of flights from London City Airport from the current level of 73,000 flights a year. They are permitting 120,000 by the end of this year and 170,000 by the end of 2010. It is in fact believed (by Fight the Flights) that a further bid for 217,000 flights is contemplated, which would be a tripling of present capacity.
Local residents and Streatham Liberal Democrats are celebrating the news that the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) is planning to drop its plans to close Streatham Police station.
A panel of the MPA was set up last year to reconsider the controversial plans to close police stations across London following vocal protests from residents and Liberal Democrats across the capital. In Streatham local Liberal Democrats led by Parliamentary Spokesman Chris Nicholson collected a petition of more than 2000 signatures opposing the closure. The petition was presented to a meeting of the MPA last year which as a result decided to set up the panel to reconsider the plans. It is understood that the panel is now recommending that the MPA proceeds with the proposals in a few Boroughs where there was support for the plans but will drop the plans for Lambeth.
Caroline Pidgeon joined Camden Lib Dems at the Marchmont Street Festival in the King's Cross area. She appears in the Lib Dems' video of the event, talking about the "Twenty Is Plenty" campaign for 20mph speed limits to make the area's roads safe for pedestrians and cyclists.
On Friday 4th September Caroline visited Forest Hill with local Lib Dem Councillors John Russell and Alex Feakes to look at a number of transport issues.
Talking to local residents and members of the Forest Hill Society, Caroline heard about several key transport issues, several of which Caroline has tabled questions to the Mayor about:
1. The proposed reduction in train services from Forest Hill at peak times and in evenings and weekends to Charing Cross;
2. The dangerous junction of Forest Hill Road and Sydenham Rise;
3. The virtually invisible bus stops on Sydenham Rise due to overgrown trees, bushes and no dedicated bus space to pull in by the kerb; and
4. Issues of visitor traffic around the Horniman Museum, congesting local streets.
