Caroline Pidgeon AM joined thousands of other Londoners in a mass cycle ride on Saturday 17th May in support of the Space for Cycling Campaign organised by the London Cycling Campaign in the run up to the London borough elections.
The MayorWatch site reports Transport for London has begun prosecution proceedings against Virgin Media (one of its own major sponsors) for carrying out roadworks unsafely in Sutton last October.
Virgin Media has already received a £14,300 fine this year for "endangering the lives of residents and motorists" when work was carried out in breach of safety rules in Richmond.
Caroline Pidgeon said:
Richmond Liberal Democrat councillors are pressing Transport for London to sort out the shambolic bus stop situation outside Richmond Station.
“The situation is ridiculous”, said Jerry Elloy, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Transport.
“We have pressed the Council Officers to find out why the second bus stop has not been reinstated, and they blame Transport for London, citing internal disagreements between their London Buses Section, and the Public Carriageway Section which deals with taxis.
Liberal Democrat campaigners in Richmond have been successful in changing the pedestrian crossing timings at the Richmond Circus junction.
Local residents contacted the Lib Dems about a crossing at the A316 (where it becomes Kew Road) which left some pedestrians stranded in the middle island for unacceptable lengths of time. The temptation to avoid the wait and cross against the flow of traffic had become a concern.
Local Lib Dem campaigners are calling on the council and Transport for London to take urgent action to address tailback misery in Whitton.
Local campaigners invited London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon to Whitton to see the worsening traffic conditions for residents trying to get on to the A316 from Hospital Bridge Road.
The London Assembly today urged Mayor Boris Johnson to halt his plans to dilute police Safer Neighbourhood Teams and recklessly close police front counters across London.
The Assembly's motion calls on the Mayor to retain the existing neighbourhood policing model of a dedicated sergeant, supported by two Constables and three Police Community Support Officers, allocated to each ward in London.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, who seconded the motion, said:
“Londoners value their local police stations and the local, recognisable police teams dedicated to serving their ward. Shutting up cop shops to public access and destroying the local policing model risks setting policing back more than a decade and separating the police from their communities.”
Caroline Pidgeon AM, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor’s response today to her questions about the future of Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) across London, where he failed to recognise that there would be a reduction in dedicated police officers for each safer neighbourhood team, said:
“The Mayor should come clean with Londoners and admit that he is decimating the current and successful model for safer neighbourhood teams.
A petition with over 700 signatures has been sent to the Mayor of London, urging him to ensure that Richmond Council does not relocate bus stops away from King Street in Twickenham. As Chair of Transport for London, the Mayor of London has the ultimate authority to ensure that the TfL funded proposals are reconsidered.
The petition, which was started by Fulwell and Hampton Councillor Jerry Elloy, highlights the harm that moving the bus stops would have on many bus users.
Commenting on the need to retain the existing bus stops, Cllr Jerry Elloy said:
Caroline joined local by-election candidate Jane Dodds, London Assembly candidate Munira Wilson, Robin Meltzer and other local Lib Dems in North Richmond meeting residents and traders concerned about speeding traffic on Lower Mortlake Road.
"There are some serious issues here and just a few small changes could make this road much safer for pedestrians, as well as other road users", commented Caroline.
Caroline spent Thursday 5th April out campaigning with Cllr Stephen Knight, Sarah Ludford MEP and others in North Richmond for Jane Dodd who is standing to be a local councillor for the area.
“We met lots of local people who had serious concerns regarding speed of traffic and the lack of a bus stop on Lower Mortlake Road which I have taken up vigorously with TfL” commented Caroline.