In a Guardian article by Rowan Moore, Caroline Pidgeon discusses some concerns about the project to build a Garden Bridge from Temple to the South Bank:
These rapid changes of position caused Caroline Pidgeon, the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly, to spot a pattern. The mayor’s statements on the bridge had been “totally false, just as with his past claims about the funding of the cycle hire scheme and the Thames cable car”. ...
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.
Caroline Pidgeon AM joined the Lib Dem Team in Bayswater on Saturday 3rd May to talk to residents on their street stall and to knock on doors.
The Bayswater team have worked tirelessly for the local community, raising issues of concern ranging from protecting local independent shops to the impact of planning applications on the area and repairs in local housing association homes. The team are very concerned about massive underground housing applications which can destabilise streets and cause months, if not years, of nuisance to local residents, as well as other over-developments, which cause problems whilst being built and often allow in chain stores onto the local high street.
As Boris Johnson admitted he "doesn't quite know what the point of the Garden Bridge is", London Assembly Lib Dem leader Caroline Pidgeon AM commented:
“This is the latest strange comment by the Mayor over the Garden Bridge.
“As the Mayor has agreed to spend at least £30 million of London taxpayers' money on this project he should at least ensure that it operates like a proper bridge.
As temperatures reached over 30 degrees Celsius inside the poorly cooled new Routemaster replacement buses, Caroline Pidgeon told the Evening Standard:
"After spending a fortune of public money and after extensive testing the public should not have to put up with a cauldron on wheels.
"The Mayor and TfL should stop making excuses and ensure that such basic problems are sorted out as a matter of urgency."
Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on reports today that Transport for London plan to shut the Jubilee Line for more than 30 days through central London due to acidic water eating into the tunnels walls, said:
"Instead of over 18 months of repeated weekend and holiday closures I question whether one intensive block closure perhaps in August would be both cheaper and less disruptive.
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.”
Lib Dem blogger Mark Pack has an article on the frequent closure of Oxford Circus tube station due to overcrowding - which TfL rarely publicise.
Caroline Pidgeon's investigations revealed that there was a temporary closure at the station 163 times in a year-long period - nearly one day in two!
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.
Caroline joined local Assembly Candidate Layla Moran and local Lib Dem campaigners in Westminster on Sunday, campaigning for a One Hour Bus Ticket and knocking on doors.
“We had a great response form local people in Bayswater who love our ideas to make transport fares more affordable with our One Hour Bus Ticket, Early Bird Fares and part Time Travelcard” commented Caroline.