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:
Caroline Pidgeon AM was delighted to campaign and support Cllr Jon Tolly, the new Lib Dem Councillor for The Grove ward in Kingston who was elected in a stunning by-election victory on Thursday 16th July.
Caroline helped out several times and looks forward to working with Jon in his ward.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on today’s announcement that half of TfL’s rail and Underground stations will be step-free by 2018, said:
“Any progress on making more TfL rail and Underground stations step-free is obviously welcome.
“However we can hardly be complacent when the reality is that in three years’ time half of all TfL rail and Underground will still be permanently inaccessible to disabled people and the many other people who require step free access.”
Commenting on the latest knife attacks affecting Londoners - and especially teenagers - Caroline Pidgeon AM, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, said:
Caroline joined local activists in Kingston on Sunday 26th April to campaign to re-elect Ed Davey as their local MP.
Caroline joined Ed and other Lib Dems talking to local residents in Norbiton.
"There was huge support for Ed from the residents I spoke to. Ed has been a strong MP and championed local concerns that really affect local people's every day lives" commented Caroline.
As a Freedom Of Information request revealed that just one person has given feedback to the Metropolitan Police's consultation of the use of body-worn cameras by officers, Caroline Pidgeon said:
“The technology should make the police more accountable to the public and help route out police malpractices committed by a very small minority of police officers.
Caroline Pidgeon AM joined Vince Cable MP speaking at a rally organised by HACAN against expansion at Heathrow on Tuesday 3rd March.
"Given that there are 725,000 people affected by noise from Heathrow – no other airport in Europe comes close to this figure. AND a new runway would mean an additional 150,000 people under the flight path. It is simply unthinkable that a third runway could be built at Heathrow" commented Caroline.
Other key messages from Caroline's speech include:
"Existing capacity in the south east must be used more effectively. In summer 2012, 47% of runway slots at Stansted weren’t used, 51% at Luton, and 12% at Gatwick. Instead of a new runway at Heathrow, we should be prioritising improved rail links to the airports that already have spare capacity. It’s good to see that the line to Stansted will be four-tracked in the not too distant future."
"Even at Heathrow, though it is full, we know the terminals can handle a further 20 million passengers a year. Heathrow could look to shift to more long-haul flights or larger aircraft to increase passengers."
Caroline Pidgeon AM joined Edward Davey MP, Cllr Liz Green and Kingston Liberal Democrats out on the doors talking to local residents on Friday 13th February.
Caroline also discussed with Edward Davey some local transport concerns including the potential impact of Crossrail 2 on local rail services.
"It was good to hear first hand some of the local transport issues and to talk to local residents about issues in their area" commented Caroline.
Caroline Pidgeon AM joined local parliamentary campaigner Robin Meltzer on Friday 13th February to look at a number of transport issues that had come out of a detailed survey conducted by Robin and the local Liberal Democrats.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on a report by the insurance company Aviva which has analysed police road traffic collision data between 2009 to 2013 on London’s roads, said:
These figures confirm that cycling around many gyratories and especially roundabouts such as the Elephant and Castle is nothing less than a Tour de Danger for cyclists.