Brexit debate in Chiswick, Monday 1st October
Caroline Pidgeon will speak alongside Tom Brake MP in a Brexit debate at Chiswick Town Hall, at 7pm on Monday 1st October.
If you'd like to attend, you can read more and register here.
London-wide + Hounslow stories
Caroline visits Hounslow Mosque
Caroline Pidgeon visited Hounslow Mosque with local Lib Dem Cranford byelection candidate Hina Malik. They discussed a wide range of issues with local members at the mosque, including improving community relations.
You can also see a Youtube video compiled by Hina about Caroline’s visit.
Meeting local businesses in Chiswick
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Lib Dem London Mayoral candidate, joined Hounslow Lib Dem members and Cllr Andrew Steed from Ealing talking to local businesses in Chiswick.
Lots of concerns were raised including Hounslow Council's parking charges, business rates and problems with Thames Water.
"It was great to meet so many local businesses and to see their wonderful local shops and hear about concerns. As Mayor I will do all I can to support our local high streets" commented Caroline.
Lib Dems arrange a tube demo to persuade TFL to upgrade the Piccadilly Line
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate, held a demo outside Turnham Green tube station with local councillors and residents to get TFL to upgrade the Piccadilly Line signal sooner. This would mean that tubes could stop there throughout the day (usually only the District line stops there).
Caroline said:
Decision on Heathrow is needed now
Commenting on reports of a potential six month delay on a decision over Heathrow, Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate Caroline Pidgeon said:
"Londoners opposed to expansion are fed up of being lied to. A decision is needed now.
“Heathrow is not, and never will be, the place to expand airport capacity and the sooner this Tory government accepts that, the sooner we can get on with developing a sensible aviation policy for the UK."
We need a better run Heathrow, not a bigger Heathrow
In an article for the Huffington Post, taking on the arguments made in the intense lobbying by Heathrow's owners, Caroline Pidgeon writes:
Mayor must now come clean over plans for Night Buses
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson, commenting on the announcement that the launch of the Night Tube has been deferred, said:
"This is a big climb down for the Mayor. His retreat is entirely due to his error in setting a specific start date before all the staffing arrangements and other issues had been settled.
"By pushing for a set start date the Mayor strengthened the union’s negotiating position.
One Hour Bus Ticket: a long-standing focus for Caroline and the Lib Dems
Dave Hill's London blog in the Guardian looks at the proposal by potential Labour mayoral candidate Christian Wolmar for a bus ticket valid over multiple journeys for an hour - and points out that this has been a long-standing policy of Caroline Pidgeon and the London Assembly Liberal Democrats:
Upsurge in lift problems at Tube stations harms freedom to travel
Caroline Pidgeon's questions to the Mayor have revealed that between 2013 and 2014, the hours lost due to lift closures on the Tube have risen by 50%, harming the freedom to travel of disabled people and those who depend on step-free access. The main reason was the lack of available trained staff to operate lifts.
Caroline said:
Third Heathrow runway proposal - a long delayed report with outdated arguments
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the support for a third Heathrow runway by the Davies airport commission, said:
“This much delayed report simply repeats many outdated arguments in opting for a third Heathrow runway.
“However many conditions are set ultimately a third Heathrow runway will have devastating consequences for a large section of London in terms of noise and increased air pollution.