London-wide + Westminster stories

Crossrail 2 - the right thing for London, but we have to do it right

Caroline has responded to Transport for London’s recent consultation on Crossrail 2. You can see a full copy of her response here.

Caroline sets out the long standing support of London Assembly Liberal Democrats for Crossrail. Her consultation response also reiterates the vital importance of every station on the route, from the first day of operation, providing step-free access.

16 January 2016 - 12:34pm

It is a mockery to claim there was an open and fair competition over Garden Bridge

Caroline Pidgeon and other members of the London Assembly's GLA Oversight Committee put pressure on the Mayor this week about the process that has been followed to award Heatherwick Studio the contract for the Garden Bridge.

Speaking after the committee meeting, Caroline said:

“You don’t start lobbying for investment in a specific scheme when it has not been selected unless you are absolutely certain of the outcome.

18 December 2015 - 8:32pm

Murky funding arrangements for Garden Bridge risk the public purse

As building work on the Garden Bridge is due to begin despite a £30m funding shortfall, Caroline Pidgeon has expressed concerns that the funding arrangements are “as murky as the water that flows down the Thames” and stressed that both the Department for Transport and the Mayor need to prove they had properly planned for any future problems without extra calls on public money.

18 November 2015 - 5:50am

Why were vital documents relating to awarding for design contract for the Garden Bridge destroyed by TfL?

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the internal audit of the procurement design and development services for the Garden Bridge said:

"This audit has sadly not been thorough and forensic.

“While it rightly highlights a number of areas where the process for awarding contracts needs to improve the audit is ultimately incomplete due to TfL destroying vital records.

21 September 2015 - 11:20am

Enslaved Africans Memorial must not be put at risk

Caroline Pidgeon has written to the Mayor asking him to ensure that the Enslaved Africans Memorial project, which the Royal Parks agreed would be placed in the Rose Garden at Hyde Park, is not put at risk.

Given the urgency of the situation, I would be grateful if you could investigate what steps can be taken to ensure that the memorial and wider educational aims of this charity are not put at risk...

12 September 2015 - 8:16pm

Mayor must now come clean over plans for Night Buses

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson, commenting on the announcement that the launch of the Night Tube has been deferred, said:

"This is a big climb down for the Mayor. His retreat is entirely due to his error in setting a specific start date before all the staffing arrangements and other issues had been settled.

"By pushing for a set start date the Mayor strengthened the union’s negotiating position.

27 August 2015 - 10:26pm

One Hour Bus Ticket: a long-standing focus for Caroline and the Lib Dems

Dave Hill's London blog in the Guardian looks at the proposal by potential Labour mayoral candidate Christian Wolmar for a bus ticket valid over multiple journeys for an hour - and points out that this has been a long-standing policy of Caroline Pidgeon and the London Assembly Liberal Democrats:

20 August 2015 - 10:06pm

Upsurge in lift problems at Tube stations harms freedom to travel

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:

14 August 2015 - 1:00am

Pages