Writing for the London24 website, Caroline Pidgeon addresses what needs to be done to make cycling in London safe:
Firstly, we must recognise that the primary cause of cycle fatalities is lorries colliding with cyclists.
The Mayor has announced some limited proposals, including training advice for cyclists, but it is only a start.
The decision by Network Rail to include the words “London Blackfriars - for Bankside and South Bank” on platform signage on the southern side of Blackfriars has been warmly welcomed by Caroline Pidgeon, the leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, along with Simon Hughes MP. The changes follow Caroline and Simon's long campaign for a changed name to Blackfriars station.
Commenting on Network Rail's proposals Caroline said:
The London Assembly Transport Committee has published a report in response to TfL’s new proposals on transport accessibility, showing that step-free access and other accessibility measures fall far short of the growing need for them, with half of bus stops, two thirds of rail stations, and three quarters of tube stations, not fully accessible to people with limited mobility.
The report argues for a range of measures, including low-cost steps such as allowing manual ramps, upgrading pedestrian crossings, providing better training for bus drivers, and improving online and paper maps.
Caroline recently joined more than 2000 cyclists in a 'flashride' protest against the Mayor's plans for Blackfriars Bridge which threaten to make the crossing far more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians. Caroline was also joined by Brian Paddick, the newly selected Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate.
Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on Boris Johnson’s fare proposals for 2012, which he confirmed today will be set at RPI plus 2 per cent, said:
“This is the fourth year of fare misery that Londoners will face under Boris Johnson.
“He has already hit Londoners hard by hiking up bus fares from 90 pence to £1.30 for a single fare since he arrived at City Hall. Today’s further rise will really hit hard many people, especially those on low incomes.
“Boris Johnson has failed to tackle effective action to tackle fare evasion or cut waste which is widespread throughout TfL. If the Mayor got on top of these issues there would be no need for such severe fare rises, especially for low income Londoners.
A new name for Blackfriars Station would provide exciting new opportunities for the Bankside area, predict Caroline Pidgeon and Simon Hughes.
Commenting at the start of a Network Rail consultation for a potential new name to Blackfriars station, Caroline said:
“It is time to put Bankside on the map! Including Bankside in the station’s name would really help attract far more tourists and visitors to the area and lead to more money being spent locally. It would be good for businesses and good for local residents."
A Big Switch to electric buses and taxis can cut London’s appalling air pollution, dramatically reduce premature deaths and ill health, and help meet climate change targets. The London Assembly Liberal Democrats have put forward an ambitious programme to convert high mileage buses, taxis and light goods vehicles to electric power by 2020. The plan was launched with Caroline Pidgeon AM and Mike Tuffrey AM with support from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP.
Seconding a London Assembly motion calling for consideration to be given to a permanent 20mph speed limit on Blackfriars Bridge, Caroline Pidgeon commented:
“A third of the peak time traffic across Blackfriars Bridge are cyclists and we already know that they are at significantly more risk when travelling across bridges than they are on similar city roads. That’s why we want Transport for London (TfL) to take a robust look at the safety of all users on Blackfriars Bridge and for the Mayor to use the facts to put safety first."
The London Assembly Transport Committee is reviewing TfL’s plans to make London the first city in the world where contactless payment is available on the entire transport network – starting with buses from spring next year.
The Committee will assess the benefits and the risks of using contactless bank cards to pay for travel, both for passengers and for Transport for London. TfL expects contactless cards will be cheaper to operate than Oyster, but the Committee will investigate security concerns that have been raised.
Chair of the Transport Committee, Caroline Pidgeon AM, said:
“Transport for London has big plans for the future of ticketing in the capital, but any changes must be geared towards increasing convenience and value for passengers.
“Security is also an issue. The use of contactless bank cards will be seen as a step forward by some people, but others may be reluctant to flash their debit or credit card at a ticket gate.
“We will review the benefits and risks of TfL’s short and long-term ticketing plans to ensure they are right for London.”
The Evening Standard reports that Transport for London has spend £18 million over the last year in providing replacement buses during Tube, DLR and Overground closures due to engineering work.
Caroline Pidgeon told the Evening Standard: