London-wide + Newham stories

Cable car is little more than a tourist attraction

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the latest figures for ridership on the cable car which show that daily ridership has fallen to as low as 301 passengers on one day and that just 16 Oyster card holders used the cable car more than five times in the week ending 21st October 2012 said:

“Outside of weekends and school holidays the passenger figures for the Thames cable car are pitiful. It is now increasingly clear that the Thames cable car is little more than a tourist attraction and not proving a useful link for people who regularly commute across the Thames.

“Of course if the Mayor had just been honest about this from the outset and honoured his claim that the scheme would be funded entirely from private funds there would be no complaints. But that is not what he promised Londoners.

“Having poured so much public money into the scheme the Mayor must now ensure it operates like an integral form of public transport. A good start would be to ensure that people with a relevant Travelcard are not charged again for using a publicly funded transport scheme.”

Cable car needs to be a serious mode of transport

Speaking to the BBC about the extremely low passenger numbers on the Thames cable car, Caroline Pidgeon said:

"All we're seeing is a publicly funded tourist attraction rather than a serious mode of transport. What the Mayor now needs to do is to incorporate it in the Travelcard network, to make sure people are using it, rather than the handful that are today."

Cycle safety visit to Bow

Caroline visited the Bow Roundabout on Friday afternoon as part of a Transport Committee visiting looking at cycling in London and how to make it safer. Last year there were two tragic cyclist deaths at the roundabout. Transport for London has put in some new measures to try to make the junction more negotiable for cyclists.

"It was interesting to see the junction and see how it is being used in practice compared to seeing the computer modelling and the paper drawings. The innovation at TfL did not seem to work as well in practice and
pedestrians are all but forgotten at this junction. I hope we can put pressure on Department for Transport for more creative signalling solutions so that this and other areas can be made far safer for vulnerable road users," commented Caroline.

Cable car will benefit spectators during Games disruption

After questioning from Caroline Pidgeon - on a topic she has raised before - the Mayor has agreed that passengers will be able to use the Greenwich to Docklands cable car at no extra charge if other means of transport are disrupted.

Caroline said:
"It is only right that the long established principle of tickets being used on alternative forms of transport should be upheld this summer if there is major disruption.

Questions over Thames Cable Car still remain

Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the announcement that the Thames Cable Car will open from midday on Thursday 28th June said:

“It is welcome news that the Thames Cable Car will be open before the Olympic Games, as additional forms of transport will be helpful in dealing with the exceptional pressures the capital will face later this Summer, and help spectators travel between the Excel and O2 venues.

Thames cable car - we need answers on costs and fares

Speaking to the Evening Standard about the Thames cable car that is shortly to open, Caroline Pidgeon said:

“After misleading Londoners and claiming two years ago that the Thames cable car would not cost a penny of taxpayers’ money it is time the Mayor provided some honest answers.

“Not only do we need to know when it will finally open but the Mayor must also tell us how much a ride will cost and whether Oyster will be accepted from the start.”

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