Campaigning articles

Ticket office cuts in Epping Forest

Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem London Assembly Member and Chair of the Transport Committee, met with campaigners to find out what the impact would be of Boris Johnson's plans to reduce the opening times at four of Epping Forest's Underground Stations.

During the meeting, arranged by the Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner Councillor Ann Haigh, Caroline spoke with many residents outside two of the affected stations, Buckhurst Hill and Epping.

Along with other local Liberal Democrats including Councillors Peter Spencer and Janet Whitehouse, Ann Haigh and Caroline Pidgeon handed out hundreds of petition slips to commuters.

Nick Clegg gives keynote speech at Elephant and Castle

In March Nick Clegg MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats came to the Salvation Army at the Elephant and Castle to deliver a keynote speech on poverty.

Nick Clegg declared that schools are at the heart of his vision for fairness. He said: “Under our plans smaller classes won’t be a privilege reserved for the rich. Our Pupil Premium raises the funding per pupil for poorer children to the same levels as the money spent per pupil in private schools. Head teachers can use that money to have smaller classes, like in fee paying schools, taking our poorest children a huge leap towards an education they would otherwise never be able to afford.”

He also attacked the Tories for failing to spell out their plans: “The Conservatives have also promised to target funding towards disadvantaged pupils. But they have committed precisely no pounds and no pence.

We need answers on Surrey Canal Road station

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, commenting on a recent statement by Peter Hendy (Commissioner of Transport for London) that a firm commitment has still not been received from central Government for an additional £7 million funding contribution towards a new station being built at Surrey Canal Road said:

“This is seriously bad news for North Lewisham and for South Bermondsey.

“Despite predictions that a new station would be used by 1.3 million passengers a year and help bring significant investment to the area it seems the Department of Transport are now dithering over whether to support this much needed new station. Without a station at Surrey Canal Road many of the benefits of the second phase of the East London Line extension will be denied to many residents in North Lewisham.

“It is time the Department for Transport clarified their position once and for all. Does their previous pledge to contribute £7 million for this much needed station still stand?

Tories rely on disgraced councillor to pass fire budget

Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon and Councillor Ed Butcher, Lib Dem Fire Leader, walked out of today’s budget meeting of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA). This was in protest at the decision of the Tories prohibiting the filming of the disgraced Councillor, Bertha Joseph, who was present and voting for the half billion pound budget.

Caroline Pidgeon commented:
“The Tories want to hide their shameful secret from the public that today’s Budget was passed due to the support of Councillor Joseph – someone who has been found guilty of serious wrongdoing and is unable to act as a councillor in her own borough.

“This is simply wrong and the Liberal Democrats want no part of this. It brings the Authority and the Mayor into disrepute.

“It is time that the Mayor took decisive action and sacked Bertha Joseph.”

Clean up Kennington!

For many years, Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes and Lib Dem Councillors have been campaigning for improvements in the Kennington area, particularly around the tube station.

This area can all too often seem forgotten as it sits on the boundary between Lambeth and Southwark, with Transport for London in charge of Kennington Park Road.

For many people this area is the gateway to Southwark, and yet the environment around the tube station is not welcoming enough.

Your Lib Dem Team have launched a five point action plan calling for:

  1. Improvements to the pavements;
  2. More secure cycle parking
  3. Better street lights
  4. Improvements to the road surface for all road users particularly cyclists; and
  5. Kennington Tube Station to be re-zoned from Zone 2 to a boundary 1/2 station.

Save Walworth's garden

Newington Lib Dem Focus Team, working with local residents, is campaigning to transform the old police station garden, on the Walworth Road, into a community garden or park.

After years of standing empty, the old police station on Carter Place off the Walworth Road has been turned into flats. But the front garden area has now been sold to another company who want to build shops and flats on this open space.

Lib Dem Councillors and local residents put in strong objections and just before Christmas the plans were thrown out by Southwark Council. However, we fear that further applications will be submitted to build on the garden.

Boris says No to Brentfield bus petitioners

Caroline Pidgeon AM has joined Liberal Democrat councillors in Brent in expressing deep disappointment at the news that Boris Johnson has refused to act to provide more buses in the Brentfield Road area.

A huge petition from local residents was submitted to the Mayor by Liberal Democrats at a formal Question Time session last month.

Brentfield Road runs between Brent Park Tesco and Harlesden Station and is also home to the prestigious Neasden Temple, but is currently served by only two buses, the 206 and the PR2.

Transport for London also admitted recently that the frequency of buses on the PR2 route had deteriorated significantly in recent months.

Nevertheless, Mayor Boris Johnson replied to the Liberal Democrat-organised petition with a letter concluding: “TfL consider that Brentfield Road is adequately served by these routes and there are no plans at present to provide further bus services here.”

Lib Dem assembly member Caroline Pidgeon, the Chair of the Assembly's Transport Committee, said:
"There is clearly a huge demand for a bus in the Brentfield Road area and it is very disappointing that the Mayor refuses to listen to local people."

Lib Dems call for FCC to be stripped of its franchise

First Capital Connect admitted last week that the Thameslink service has been “appalling” and “totally inadequate” at a meeting with Chris Nicholson, the Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham and GLA Transport Committee chair, Caroline Pidgeon.

Chris Nicholson asked for the meeting as disruptions on First Capital Connect’s service worsened over the last months. First Capital Connect’s Larry Heyman apologised for the reduced timetable, the inability of trains to run in the snow and incorrect information provided to customers. He acknowledged that some train motors struggled to cope with the snow and said that these would be replaced by next month.

Figures released today showed that just 62.8% of Thameslink trains ran less than 5 mins late in the period between 13 December 2009 to 9 January 2010. In the same period, 11.7% of all services were cancelled.
FCC trains were running late again today on the Bedford to Brighton line and some consisted of just four carriages instead of the normal eight. Other trains stopped short of their advertised destination or did not stop at all stops.

Lib Dems call for First Capital Connect to improve or lose franchise

Caroline Pidgeon has joined Streatham Liberal Democrats in calling for First Capital Connect (FCC) to improve its service for users of Thameslink from Streatham and Tulse Hill stations or lose its franchise. Their call comes in the light of continued cancellation of trains, delays and timetable restrictions which have been going on for months but have worsened since Christmas.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham Chris Nicholson said,
"The service being provided is completely unacceptable. It is particularly difficult for commuters have to wait ages for trains or buses in this freezing weather. Caroline Pidgeon and I are seeking an urgent meeting with First Capital Connect. Unless we get satisfactory answers to what is being done to restore a full service I will be asking the Department for Transport to consider stripping FCC of its franchise."

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Chair of the Greater London Assembly Transport Committee added,
"I am getting reports all along the Thameslink line of the hardship that this is causing commuters. First Capital Connect must improve, and improve quickly!"

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