Meeting Croydon Lib Dems
Caroline was delighted to be invited to speak at Croydon Liberal Democrats' Winter Warmer dinner. It was great to talk about City Hall life, and catch up with so many members.
London-wide + Croydon stories
TfL and tram operators must learn lessons and take urgent action on safety
Following the verdict of the inquest into the tragic 2016 Croydon tram crash, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"The loved ones of those who died now have answers, but they will also want assurances that no one else will have to go through the pain they have suffered.
"The crash shocked the Croydon community because the tram is a key part of Croydon's transport network. TfL and tram operators must ensure lessons are learnt, and take urgent steps to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
An independent enquiry is needed into the Croydon tram tragedy
Caroline Pidgeon is continuing to press Transport for London to hold an independent enquiry into the 2016 tram crash in Croydon which killed 7 people and injured 62.
After the Deputy Mayor refused an enquiry, Caroline said:
“We still have a lot of questions for TfL to answer on its past record on safety issues and especially why it failed to share vital information while the investigations into the Sandilands tram crash were being undertaken.
Tram safety culture needs to be urgently addressed
Caroline Pidgeon has expressed her strong concern after obtaining documents through Mayor's Questions which reveal that Transport for London toned down its report on London Trams' safety issues, under pressure from the tram operating company.
Caroline said:
Croydon tram crash report must now be acted on
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, commenting on the report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch into the overturning of a tram at Sandilands junction on the 9th November 2016 said:
“Sadly the clock can never be turned back, but one thing that must now happen is that each and every recommendation from this investigation report is implemented as quickly as possible.
The whole of London needs rigorous landlord licensing
Inside Croydon reports on the ineffectiveness of Croydon council's landlord licensing scheme - with only one prosecution in the last year.
Caroline told Inside Croydon:
“Within London’s private rented sector there is now a need for a proper and robust framework of regulation across the entire city. The data clearly demonstrates that only a rigorous regime of licensing will result in the enforcement needed to put an end to the problem of rogue landlords that exist across every part of London.”
Croydon tram drivers' fatigue warnings must be investigated
As concerning reports emerge that Croydon tram drivers had raised concerns about their shift patterns disrupting sleep, two years before the fatal accident in November 2016, Caroline Pidgeon has tabled a written question to the Mayor to demand a full answer.
Read more at Inside Croydon.
Croydon tram accident investigation has made incredibly serious revelations
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, commenting on the revelations by the BBC Victoria Derbyshire programme of Croydon tram drivers admitting to the programme they had fallen asleep and that trams have been breaching track speed limits, even since the tram crash of November 2016, said:
"These are incredibly serious revelations, especially if any breaches of speeding have occurred since the horrific tram crash last November.
Lessons must be learned for trams and buses after Croydon accident
As the Rail Accidents Investigation Branch proceeds with its enquiry into the tram accident in Croydon last November which tragically killed seven people, particularly focusing on the glass used in the tram windows, Caroline Pidgeon has pointed out that its recommendations also need to be applied to buses - which have the same type of windows.
Caroline said:
One third of London hospitals still fail to help police tackle knife crime
Over a third of hospitals in London are still failing to take part in a scheme which has been proven to dramatically reduce knife crime. The admission that many hospitals are still not sharing anonymous data collected from knife victims was made this week by Stephen Greenhalgh, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.