Transport articles

Seven week holiday for fare dodgers

Despite hiking up fares at the start of 2012 the Mayor has delayed his plans to get tough on fare evaders, reveals Caroline Pidgeon, the leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group.

In August 2011 Transport for London started a consultation proposing to increase the penalty fare on all TfL services to £80 with the proposed introduction date for the new rate being the 2nd January 2012. On the 29th November 2011 the Mayor of London then signed a Mayoral decision which again stated that the increased penalty fare would start from the 2nd January 2012.

12 January 2012 - 11:52pm

Good news on Waterloo ex-Eurostar platforms - but we need more

Speaking as the government announced that one of Waterloo's former Eurostar platforms can be used from May 2013 for commuter services, Caroline Pidgeon said:

"It is clearly good news that at least one platform is now to be brought back into use to help relieve overcrowding.

"We now need to see a timetable for when the other platforms will be open."

Read the South London Press's coverage here.

12 January 2012 - 11:50pm

TfL does more and more deals behind closed doors

Commenting on Transport for London's secrecy about its advertising deal with CBS Media, London Assembly Lib Dem leader Caroline Pidgeon commented:
"The end of the legal dispute might seem welcome but the key issue is whether it has come at a high price to Londoners.

"Despite Boris Johnson being elected promising greater transparency about how public money is being spent, the reality is more and more deals at TfL are being done behind closed doors."

Read the full story here in the Evening Standard.

10 January 2012 - 10:44pm

17 Islington crossings not accessible to visually impaired people

The Islington Gazette reports that - as revealed by Caroline Pidgeon's questioning of TfL - 17 pelican crossings in Islington are not safe for visually impaired people as they have no sound or rotating cones to indicate when it is safe to cross.

Caroline commented:
"It is a total disgrace that such basic safety standards are still not being met."

Read the full article here.

4 January 2012 - 9:39pm

Boris Johnson’s fare rises are hitting low income Londoners

Commenting on the Mayor's 2012 fare rises being introduced today, Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate, said:

“Once again we start the year with another painful fare package from Boris Johnson. For the fourth year in a row he has racked up fares by far more than the rate of inflation.

“His latest rises will simply add to the financial problems of many Londoners - especially those on low incomes.

“Shamefully, bus fares have been hiked up the most by Boris Johnson despite buses being most heavily used by low income Londoners.”

4 January 2012 - 9:36pm

Blackheath Bonfire Night passengers should check for overcharging

The South London Press reports on the overcharging suffered by many passengers who travelled from Blackheath station after the fireworks display on 5th November - when station staff taped over the card readers at the station.

Caroline commented:
"Many would be unaware they had been overcharged and, for those who were, the onus was on them to collect the overcharged amount.

"It beggars belief Southeastern merely taped over the Oyster readers leading to so many people being overcharged on their Oyster cards."

You can read the South London Press article here.

4 January 2012 - 9:31pm

Havering crossings are unsafe for people with disabilities

Figures obtained from TfL by Caroline Pidgeon have shown that several pedestrian crossings in Havering do not meet minimum safety standards - either because they do not have the required equipment to make them safe for blind and partially sighted people, or because the time to cross is too short for people with limited mobility.

The crossings are located at:

Abbs Cross Lane/Hornchurch Road/High Street, Hornchurch
Rom Valley Way/Rush Green Road (Roneo Corner)
Oldchurch Road/Thurloe Gardens/South Street, Romford
the A12 at Colchester Road/Whitelands Way
Eastern Avenue/North Street/Havering Road, Romford

3 January 2012 - 8:17pm

Olympic fleet of 4000 BMWs is against the spirit of the Games

Commenting on the news that 4000 BMW cars will be shipped in from Germany to transport officials during the Olympics, London Assembly Lib Dem leader Caroline Pidgeon said:

"As we were promised that the 2012 Games would be the greenest Olympics ever to take place, only electric vehicles should have been considered.

"Electric vehicles are not only quieter, but far less harmful to people’s lungs.

"The 2012 Games should have been a big boost to the growth of electric vehicles in the UK, but instead we have vehicles which merely add to London’s serious air pollution."

Read the full story here in the Daily Mail.

3 January 2012 - 8:09pm

Questioning TfL's office costs

The London SE1 website reports on Caroline Pidgeon's question to the Mayor about the cost of the office space TfL is renting in the Palestra building in Southwark:

Caroline Pidgeon: With work underway to look at co-location of Underground and Surface Control centres, are you aware of any lower-cost office space in Greater London than currently proposed at Palestra?

30 December 2011 - 10:42pm

Cut the Whitehall bureaucracy that holds up safety mirrors

Calling for further action to install Trixi mirrors that would ensure lorry drivers can see cyclists at dangerous junctions, London Assembly Lib Dem leader Caroline Pidgeon said:

"After so many cycle deaths this year on London's roads and a rise in cyclists killed or hurt on roads across the UK as a whole, it is time for real action on making our roads safer for cyclists.

30 December 2011 - 10:09pm

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