Caroline Pidgeon

After lobbying from local MP Simon Hughes and Caroline Pidgeon, Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, TfL have now started work to improve the junction at Abbey Street, where cyclist Ellie Carey died in a collision with a lorry last year.

TfL has now told Ellie Carey’s father Allister in an email that work is about to start to provide advanced stop lines for cyclists at the junction. Trixi mirrors, which allow lorry drivers to see cyclists waiting at traffic lights, will be installed on the Tower Bridge Road by the end of May. This comes after Liberal Democrat Transport Minister Norman Baker MP changed the rules to allow trixi mirrors to be installed by local authorities without permission from the Department of Transport.

TfL also said that they would be holding a full consultation on proposals for an improved scheme for cyclists and pedestrians at Abbey Street later this summer.

Caroline joined local Lib Dem Cllr Nigel Bakhai to look at problems with Hanwell Station next to his ward in Ealing.

The station has no services on Sundays, has no step free access like so many and it is not clear what improvements will be made when Crossrail comes along. Furthermore, the entrance to the station from Station Approach is closed off making it inconvenient for residents in Cllr Bakhai’s ward to access the station.

Caroline also looked at the dangerous junction with Church Road, which she has already raised with TfL and will do again. Pedestrians have no safe crossing point at this junction.

Caroline joined an estimated 10,000 cyclists in the Big Ride in central London in support of the 'Going Dutch' campaign organised by the London Cycling Campaign.

The massive crowd, representing every age and background, braved at-times atrocious weather to be part of the UK’s largest-ever bike ride supporting safer streets for cycling. Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick and Simon Hughes MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats also took part, reinforcing the strong support of the Liberal Democrats to safer streets for Londoners.

Caroline was one of the first politicians to formally endorse the campaign and over the last four years has repeatedly raised issues relating to cycle safety in her work on the London Assembly.

You can read more about the London Cycling Campaign Go Dutch campaign, and sign the petition, at the LCC's website.

Caroline joined local Lib Dem Councillors and Assembly Candidate Dawn Barnes out knocking on doors in Stroud Green ward on Thursday followed by carrying out a bus survey about the W3 bus at Finsbury Park.

The route is officially the most complained about in London, with TfL receiving over fifty complaints from passengers in a four week period last autumn. Liberal Democrats held their own survey session at Finsbury Park bus station to find out why the bus route attracts so much criticism.

Caroline Pidgeon was joined by Haringey London Assembly candidate Dawn Barnes, Liberal Democrat leader on Haringey Council, Richard Wilson, and a number of other Lib Dem members. The survey asked whether there were enough buses at rush hour, whether there were enough buses at the weekends and if there were problems with the countdown displays.