recent blog articles

All new bus countdown signs in Kingston

Caroline hosted a meeting with officers from TfL and Kingston Council along with Cllr Simon James, Executive Member for Transport at Kingston to discuss the plans for countdown signs in the Borough.

TfL is currently upgrading all signs to new technology which will allow real time information to mobile phones and online as well as at information signs at bus stops.

The current plans show the same number of signs per borough as the current system but at different locations. This could lead to areas such as Malden and Combe seeing half of their signs removed, even though it is the most populated area in Kingston. Discussion also took place on particular issues at Cromwell Road Bus Garage, where there are currently three countdown signs. TfL is looking at a solution to have all of the information in one sign.

"I was glad to bring everyone together for a frank discussion about the criteria for these signs and to find a way forward. TfL has agreed to review some of the signs and data and Kingston may also look at how they can buy some additional signs" commented Caroline Pidgeon AM.

7 August 2010 - 4:47pm

Save the South London Line

Lib Dems Caroline Pidgeon AM and Simon Hughes MP joined politicians of all parties at a Save the South London Line campaign event at Clapham High Street station on 28th July.

The event was to highlight the future plans to axe this vital service between Victoria and London Bridge stations, via stations such as Clapham High Street, Peckham Rye and South Bermondsey.

"When we were promised the extension of the East London Line to Clapham Junction, it was never in place of our existing South London Line service. We need both services to meet the demand for transport in South East London and for the hospital workers and visitors who go between Guy's Hospital at London Bridge and King's or the Maudsley down in Denmark Hill. I do not want to see any of the stations on this route left with a worse service" commented Caroline Pidgeon.

28 July 2010 - 10:01pm

Save our open space

Caroline Pidgeon AM gave evidence on 27th July to the Planning Inspector who is currently assessing Southwark Council’s planning document known as the Core Strategy.

Caroline has asked for the old police station garden on the Walworth Road/Carter Place to be protected as Borough Open Land so that it can become a pocket park for local people.

“I have looked back over old maps and the site has never had any building on it – maps back to 1893 show this. We have also found wonderful pictures which clearly show a garden on the site at the front of a house and then the old police station”

“I hope the inspector will agree that the site is a green lung on the busy Walworth Road and should be protected from any development”

The inspector will report in a few months' time.

28 July 2010 - 9:57pm

Investigating accessibility issues at Liverpool St and Stratford

As part of the Transport Committee’s work on the accessibility of the transport system in London, Caroline Pidgeon AM along with other Committee members went on two site visits. The first to Liverpool Street Station where the committee looked around the station and the many accessibility issues with some wheelchair passengers.

The second visit then went to Stratford to look at the investment there and the interchanges between different modes of transport.

28 July 2010 - 9:50pm

Guided cycle tours are a flop - just like last year

Shepherd's Bush blogger Chris Underwood has a story on the failure and cancellation of the "guided cycle tours" that TfL offered in Hammersmith and Fulham in June.

The article includes Caroline's question to the Mayor on the subject:

Caroline Pidgeon: Can you give an outline of how the publicity strategy differed to last year’s, in light of the low participation rate last year?

Boris Johnson: Between last year and this year the approach differs in the following ways:

Link to existing cycle programmes: Cycle Fridays was a standalone initiative, marketed via an advertising campaign. This year, rides are being offered as a support product to help individuals take advantage of existing cycling programmes including the London Cycle Challenge and Barclay’s Cycle Superhighways. The publicity for the rides is incorporated into existing programme channels; the only cost incurred is for the rides themselves.

Create a flexible programme, which responds to demand: Last year the number of rides publicised were fixed, but this year TfL is closely monitoring participation in the rides.

Roll out the rides in short bursts: Last year TfL publicised a block of rides for 10 weeks and participation dropped off over time. This year, each set of rides will last no longer than five weeks before a break. If a particular programme is not generating sufficient demand, the remaining rides can be scaled back or cancelled.

Change the name: Awareness of Cycle Fridays was relatively high; however understanding of what was on offer was lower. To make this clear, TfL changed the name to ‘Guided Cycle Rides’.

Read the full story here.

28 July 2010 - 9:38pm

Caroline and Hillingdon Lib Dems petition Mayor on H98 bus extension

Caroline recently hosted a meeting with Lib Dem Campaigners Pete Dollimore, Martin Clark and Vic Stoneham about the extension to the H98 bus route in Hillingdon. In May Caroline presented a petition to the Mayor signed by local people who strongly supported an extension of the bus to West Ruislip Station.

Local Lib Dem Campaigner and Committee Member of Oak Farm Residents’ Association, Vic Stoneham, presented a detailed paper to the meeting on the 6th July providing a history to the bus route and the logic to extend the H98 through Hillingdon and West Ruislip stations.

25 July 2010 - 7:37pm

Caroline learns about Lib Dem policies in action in Sutton

Caroline recently went to Sutton Civic Centre to meet with Leader of the Council Cllr Sean Brennan, Deputy Leader Cllr Ruth Dombey, Executive Member for Communities, Transport and Voluntary Sector, Cllr Simon Wales and Executive Member for Community Safety, Leisure and Libraries, Lord Graham Tope.

As Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at City Hall Caroline wants to work closely with Lib Dem Councillors across London to help with local campaigns, particularly on issues such as transport, police, the environment and the legacy from the Olympics.

Sutton is the largest Lib Dem Group in London and is a great example of Liberal Democrats policies being put into practice such as around the environment. Sutton is also a pilot for the new coalition government’s big society initiative.

“It was really useful to chat with some of our leading Lib Dem Councillors in Sutton about working closely together on wider London concerns as well as some really specific borough issues such as the X26 bus, problems with nightbuses and the impact of Thameslink. I look forward to working even more closely with our Sutton team over the coming months and years” commented Caroline.

Photo – Caroline at St Helier Hospital in Sutton

25 July 2010 - 7:32pm

Caroline visits Hackney councillors

Caroline recently went to Hackney Town Hall to meet with Lib Dem Councillor Ian Sharer and Councillor Abraham Jacobson.

As Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at City Hall Caroline wants to work closely with Lib Dem Councillors across London to help with local campaigns, particularly on issues such as transport, police, the environment and the legacy from the Olympics.

A number of issues were discussed, including issues with a local bus garage and some wider Transport for London issues.

25 July 2010 - 7:29pm

Brent still has three of London's worst bus routes

Through questions to the Mayor in the London Assembly, Liberal Democrat Caroline Pidgeon AM has revealed that around a third of the capital’s worst bus routes run through Brent.

The 220, 452 and 228 all fell within the ten worst performing routes in London, according to independent watchdog TravelWatch. The service on the 228 was singled out for particular concern by the Chair of London Travelwatch.

25 July 2010 - 7:15pm

Poorest children in London must not be penalised by new Oyster fees

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Leader and transport spokesperson, commenting on the Mayor’s plans to introduce a one-off £10 fee for Zip Card concessionary travel for children, teenagers and students, said:

”I understand that TfL have to look at cost savings but any change needs to be fair. Given that two fifths of children across London live in poverty TfL should exempt this charge to children and young people who are entitled to free school meals."

The MayorWatch website covers the story here.

25 July 2010 - 6:56pm

Assembly investigates London Promenade for the south bank

The London SE1 website reports on the scheme for a "London Promenade" along the south bank of the Thames, which would give pedestrians a wide path all the way along the waterfront from Butler's Wharf to Gabriel's Wharf.

Caroline Pidgeon is leading the London Assembly Transport Committee's investigation into encouraging more walking in London, which includes this scheme.

You can read the London SE1 story here.

25 July 2010 - 6:55pm

Are plans to get Londoners walking on the right track?

The Mayor has declared his intention to make 2011 the ‘year of walking’ and allocated millions of pounds to the cause, but will his proposals see more Londoners making their journeys on foot?

Caroline Pidgeon AM will lead an investigation on behalf of the Assembly’s Transport Committee to assess the effectiveness of current plans to get people walking and look at what more could be done.

Almost a quarter of all journeys in the capital are made on foot – nearly 6 million trips every day – making up nearly a third of the total time Londoners spend travelling. The Mayor’s Transport Strategy states that he wants to see the share of all journeys made on foot increase to 25 per cent by 2031 – an extra million journeys a day.

To help meet this target, the Mayor and Transport for London have allocated over £200 million over the next three years to ‘Better Streets’ - which includes schemes ranging from de-cluttering streets to pedestrianisation - and ‘Better Green and Water Spaces’ to improve access to London’s parks, rivers and canals.

Caroline Pidgeon AM said:
“The Mayor wants 2011 to be the ‘year of walking’ but to encourage more Londoners to make their journeys on foot he will have to carefully tailor his proposals and investment.

25 July 2010 - 6:25pm

Frognal and Ftizjohns by-election

Caroline Pidgeon AM visited Camden on Sunday 18th July to help David Bouchier in the Frognal and Fitzjohns by-election.

“It was fantastic to be out and about talking to local residents about a wide range of local issues such as planning concerns, where some people are expanding their homes by going down into the foundations, and the state of the economy nationally.

“David lives locally and knows Belsize, Frognal and Hampstead Village like the back of his hand. I hope local residents will give him their support to be a strong local voice for Frog 'n' Fitz ward” commented Caroline.

25 July 2010 - 5:16pm

Mayor's cuts to Tube ticket offices - "an absolute sham of a consultation"

Caroline Pidgeon, commenting to the Evening Standard, has sharply criticised the Mayor's plans to drastically reduce ticket office services at Tube stations, costing up to 450 jobs and leaving many stations with ticket office staffing for most of the day.

Caroline said:

The Mayor was elected on a clear commitment to keep ticket offices open. His plans to have many closed for most of the day flies in the face of his election commitment. This is an absolute sham of a consultation. If the Mayor really thinks he is consulting Londoners he obviously needs to look up what the word actually means in the dictionary.

You can read the full story at the Evening Standard here.

19 July 2010 - 10:34pm

Ealing and Hounslow Lib Dems put Turnham Green's case to TfL

Liberal Democrats from Ealing and Hounslow met with two senior transport advisors from Transport for London this week.
The meeting came after the request by Ealing Lib Dem Leader Councillor Gary Malcolm, and Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem leader on the London Assembly, who want to see the Piccadilly Line tube stop permanently at Turnham Green.

The items discussed at the meeting included:

  • Extending or trialling extensions to the current early and late stopping service at Turnham Green
  • The possibility of introducing a Sunday service
  • Signage and announcements at Turnham Green tube station
  • Replacing the Baron's Court stop with Turnham Green on the Piccadilly Line
  • Signalling of the Piccadilly and District lines
19 July 2010 - 9:30pm

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