London-wide + Newham stories

The Mayor hits the wallets and purses of millions of Londoners

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, commenting on the Mayor’s fare package for 2010 which is hiking up tube and bus fares and cutting bus and tube services in outer London, said:

"For the second year in a row the Mayor is punishing Londoners with an inflation busting increase in fares. Incredibly even a short bus journey involving just one change will set people back £2.40.

"People in outer London will be particularly aggrieved to be paying even more for a poorer service.

15 October 2009 - 9:34pm

Lib Dems oppose doubling flights from City Airport

Leyton & Wanstead Liberal Democrats last Friday hosted a public meeting about the expansion at which London LibDem MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford and London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon spoke and a debate was held. Campaign groups 'Fight the Flights' and the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN) were also represented.

Newham Council recently agreed a more than doubling of flights from London City Airport from the current level of 73,000 flights a year. They are permitting 120,000 by the end of this year and 170,000 by the end of 2010. It is in fact believed (by Fight the Flights) that a further bid for 217,000 flights is contemplated, which would be a tripling of present capacity.

6 October 2009 - 8:44pm

Dial-a-Ride fails disabled people across London

Disabled and elderly people across the whole of London have faced a growing number of refused trips from Transport for London’s Dial-a-Ride service.

Following extensive questioning by Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, the Mayor has been forced to release figures showing that over the last two years there has been more than a 50% increase in the number of trips refused to disabled and elderly people who rely on the Dial-a-Ride service.

Commenting on the figures, Caroline Pidgeon said:
“Three years ago Transport for London promised disabled Londoners a far better deal from Dial-a-Ride. They specifically promised that the number of refused trips would halve in just two years. Yet instead of falling the number of refused trips have actually gone up by more than 50%. It is simply appalling every day of the year more than 400 trips are now refused to Dial-a-Ride users.

28 September 2009 - 9:55pm

Boris must stop dithering on fares

At today's Mayor's Question Time, Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, criticised Boris Johnson's repeated evasiveness in answering questions about 2010 transport fares in 2010, saying:

"This time last year the Mayor had already told Londoners what the fares package would be for 2009. Now a year later the Mayor seems incapable of even saying when a decision will be announced for fares in 2010. Why is the Mayor dithering on fares?

9 September 2009 - 9:47pm

Lib Dems highlight risks to public as bus CCTV footage is destroyed

Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey, and Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, have been alarmed to discover that CCTV footage on buses is only kept for one week. After being contacted by a constituent who was allegedly assaulted by a driver on a 42 bus, Simon was shocked to discover the Transport for London and East Thames Buses had no record of the incident because CCTV footage had been destroyed.

4 September 2009 - 8:37pm

Mayor must freeze fares for 2010

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, commenting on today’s July inflation figures, which are used as the basis of future fare rises said:

“With prices falling by minus 1.4% in July the Mayor should not hesitate to announce that bus, tube and tram fares will at least be frozen in 2010.

18 August 2009 - 8:41pm

If you can use Oyster today, why not every day?

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, commenting on the temporary extension of Oyster Pay as You Go to most train services across London, said:

“If Oyster Pay As You Go can cover most train services in London for 48 hours, why not everyday? Londoners have today been given a glimpse of what should already be a reality each and every day of the year.

10 June 2009 - 9:00pm

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