Caroline's news

Families across Chessington and Hook are celebrating the success of a three year campaign for a new school bus to take local pupils to Hinchley Wood School. This will reduce traffic on the road and provide a quicker, safer route to school for many local children.

Transport for London confirmed just before Christmas their proposal to extend a journey on the current 467 bus route to and from Hinchley Wood School at school times. Subject to consultation with stakeholders (including the local authority, London TravelWatch and the police) the new service will be introduced from Monday 22nd February 2010.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, commenting on the steep fare rises that the Mayor is imposing on London transport services for 2010, said:

"For the second year in a row the Mayor is punishing Londoners with an inflation busting increase in fares. Incredibly, even a short bus journey involving just one change will set people back £2.40.

In response to a question from Caroline Pidgeon, the Mayor has admitted that Freedom Pass users will not have free travel at all times of day on National Rail services by his target of January 2010. In fact, he does not even expect TfL to begin negotiating this with the train companies until Easter 2010!

Caroline Pidgeon said:
"It is very disappointing that there is still no end in site for Freedom Pass holders to be able to travel on rail before 9.30am. The Mayor promised a 24 hour Freedom Pass. He has not used his considerable influence to date to negotiate hard with the train companies, working with London Councils. He now needs to deliver it so that pensioners across the capital can all enjoy equal travel benefits."

More details of the story are on the MayorWatch website.

The Mayor of London will soon be hearing about access problems facing wheelchair users on Ilford buses following a recent visit to Ilford by Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee.

On Wednesday (16th December) Caroline took up an invitation from Councillor Shoaib Patel to visit Ilford and find out at first hand some of the specific problems facing wheelchair users in using local buses, with a detailed briefing provided to her by wheelchair user Max Reid.

The issues raised with Caroline Pidgeon and Councillor Patel included ramps frequently not working or being too steep and also the lack of space on some buses for wheelchair users. Caroline Pidgeon and Councillor Patel also heard about the unhelpful attitude of some drivers towards disabled bus passengers.

Following the visit Caroline Pidgeon has promised to raise all the issues raised in Ilford with Boris Johnson through a series of written questions at the next Mayor’s Question Time in January.

Caroline went on a site visit on Friday 18th December to look at works at Tottenham Court Road for Crossrail and the upgrade of the London Underground Station.