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.
Newington Lib Dem councillor Caroline Pidgeon is calling on Morrisons supermarket to remove a trolley park and railings which is obstructing the pavement outside its Walworth Road store.
The trolley park has recently been constructed without planning permission from Southwark Council. Cllr Pidgeon has written to the supermarket chain’s Chief Executive, asking for the trolley park to be removed before action is taken against it.
The Evening Standard has covered the story of TfL commissioner Peter Hendy's decision to accept only 45% of his annual bonus.
Caroline Pidgeon told the Standard:
I welcome Peter's decision and would welcome the Mayor to review TfL's bonus policy in general. He has been critical of the bonuses bankers have received.
In 1834, arguably the greatest attraction in the country at the time was formally opened in Walworth, in the shape of a 15-acre exotic zoo. It housed not only elephants, rhinoceroses and leopards but also the first giraffes ever seen in the UK. As well as the zoo, the Royal Surrey Zoological Gardens also hosted spectacular shows that incorporated large scale scenes of historical events, such as the eruption of Vesuvius or the Siege of Sebastopol. These were popular shows of the day using specially constructed sets and special effects such as fireworks, or burning ships which were part of naval battle re-enactments. One recreation of the city of Rome covered 5 acres.
The venue was so popular that it once drew crowds of up to eight thousand visitors a day and over 500,000 people came to see one spectacular during its first 100 days. Its music hall could hold over 12,000 people and put on concerts of up to 1000 performers.
However, by the late 1840s the popularity of the zoo was beginning to fade, and the animals were sold off, the music hall was destroyed by a fire, and the park was finally closed in 1877.
Simon Hughes MP joined Caroline for the summer open studios on the Pullens Estate in West Walworth. After a wander around the wonderful artistic studios chatting to local residents and businesses, including jewellers, painters, photographers, dress designers and ceramic artists, the team enjoyed some food and drink in the wonderful Electric Elephant Café run by Louisa.
“The weather held off for another successful Pullens open studios. The work never fails to impress me” commented Caroline Pidgeon.
Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, joined up recently with Simon Hughes MP, Councillor Adele Morris and local party activists to campaign for the Mayor of London to introduce one hour bus tickets.
At the Elephant and Castle, near to the Metropolitan Tabernacle, bus users and local residents were urged to sign a petition calling for Boris Johnson and Transport for London to follow the example of other European cities by introducing bus tickets which would allow unlimited rides for a one hour period.
Caroline Pidgeon AM joined local residents, staff from King’s College Hospital and politicians from all parties at a campaign rally on Friday 26 June at Denmark Hill Station to save the South London Line. This is the loop line that runs all day from Victoria to London Bridge. By 2012 Denmark Hill will have no direct trains to London Bridge and only 2 trains per hour to Victoria.
Cllr Caroline Pidgeon AM joined local residents in Sutherland Square and representatives from the Iceland Store on the Walworth Road to trial how one of their large lorries can manoeuvre around the square without going up onto the pavements and damaging the flower beds.
The Zone was designed to slow down all vehicles and to allow cars, pedestrians and cyclists to share the road space safely.
Caroline Pidgeon has tabled a question to Boris Johnson to ask why, during the engineering work disrupting the Jubilee line this summer, replacement buses from Canada Water are being directed to Bank rather than along the line's normal route to Waterloo.
"It seems extraordinary that TfL decide on where to route rail replacement buses without, it would appear, consulting the local community," says Caroline.
 On Thursday 11 June Caroline Pidgeon joined Lord Harris of Peckham and other staff and project managers at the official start of the building of the new East Dulwich Boys' Academy on Peckham Rye.
Caroline worked hard with local councillors, MPs, residents and the Harris Federation to ensure the school got through every hurdle to be built. "I was delighted to be invited along to celebrate the start of the building work on the new boys' school. A high quality education is so important for our young people. East Dulwich really needed a local boys' secondary school and I am thrilled that from this September there will be 150 boys starting their education at the school - though starting their first year in temporary accommodation in Dulwich" said Caroline Pidgeon AM. 22 June 2009 - 9:38pmPages |