Caroline's news

The London Assembly’s Transport Committee has published a new report, Too Close For Comfort, investigating the levels of overcrowding for London Underground passengers, and how the stress and frustrations of overcrowding and line closures affect people's behaviour and travel choices.

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Lib Dem Chair of the Transport Committee said:

Our report highlights shocking levels of overcrowding on the Tube and the impact this has on people. London Underground cannot be complacent about finding ways to make the situation more bearable.

Dave Hill's blog at the Guardian covers Caroline Pidgeon's findings, through questioning Boris Johnson, that 439 pedestrian crossings in Greater London do not comply with the Department of Transport's design standards.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, commenting on the Mayor’s welcoming of a report suggesting traffic flow could be smoothed by switching off, or removing traffic lights, said:

“The Mayor is latching onto a report which totally excludes any consideration of pedestrians or the economic bill that could arise from more pedestrian accidents.

“Of course some improvements could be made to how traffic lights work but the very first priority for the Mayor must be to end the scandal that across London over 400 pedestrian crossings at junctions fail to provide sufficient time for pedestrians to cross the road. These crossings are breaching national safety guidance, yet the Mayor is totally complacent over putting them right. Today, once again the Mayor has neglected the needs of pedestrians.”

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, commenting on the Mayor’s confused announcement of the final roll-out of Oyster Pay as You Go to all train companies in the London area, said:

“Boris Johnson has wasted 18 months on this issue. The scheme he will re-announce on Monday sadly will not be as convenient as it should be for Oyster PAYG users, and regrettably many people who start to use the trains will discover that the same journey costs far more than a parallel tube journey.

The London Assembly today sent a clear message that they are totally opposed to any attempt to allow night flights during the 2012 Olympic Games or at any other time.

A unanimously agreed motion urged Mayor Boris Johnson to write jointly with the Chair of the London Assembly to the Secretary of State for Transport and his relevant counterparts in the opposition parties to express their concerns.

Caroline Pidgeon AM, who amended the motion, said: "Many more Londoners than you might expect are affected by night flights. For example recent research from HACAN suggests that half of the top 12 boroughs affected by night noise are in east or south London.

“If night flights are allowed for the Olympics, it could set the precedent for the future. This motion sends a clear message that the London Assembly is against the derestriction of night flights and relaxation of noise controls.”