Campaigning articles

Caroline meets Greenwich Lib Dems

Caroline was delighted to be the guest speaker at a Greenwich Lib Dems fundraiser on Monday 3rd June.

Caroline joined lots of members to enjoy a curry and drink followed by a detailed discussion on lots of issues form transport to police and fire cuts.

“It was great to meet so many members both old and new to discuss local issues in Greenwich. The saga of the foot tunnels, plans for river crossings and the Mayor’s plans for an airport in the estuary were all issues of concern”, commented Caroline.

Campaigning in Ealing

On Tuesday 4th June Caroline Pidgeon AM joined local campaigners and Councillors Jon Ball and Gary Malcolm on a visit to Ealing to look at a number of issues affecting the Borough and local residents.

Ealing Broadway
Caroline and the team had a look around Ealing Broadway and heard from campaigner Tony Miller about the poor interchange planned with the long awaited Crossrail.

“It seems a missed opportunity if the station is not reconfigured to make it a model interchange between Crossrail, national rail, and the tube as well as with cycling and buses” commented Caroline.

Caroline has written to Crossrail about these issues.

Campaigning in Sutton

Caroline joined local Lib Dem Councillors and Tom Brake MP on Saturday 18th May to collect signatures from local people against the proposed closure of St Heliers A&E and maternity services, and to campaign on some key transport issues in the area.

Give us back our night bus
The loss of the N213 night bus has had a real impact on people in Carshalton and Wallington. Local Lib Dems are calling on TfL as part of their review of bus routes to look to reintroduce a night bus service in Carshalton and Wallington by converting the existing 154 route into a 24 hour service.

The gap between the last and first bus is only 4 hours, so a half hourly service during these hours would not require too many additional journeys. Timetabling an extended route to connect the N155 at Morden and N44 at Rosehill would also improve connections for those returning back from Central London.

Sudbury Action with Cllr Paul Lorber

Caroline visited Sudbury on Friday 26th April and joined Lib Dem Leader Cllr Paul Lorber and local campaigners including Bob Wharton looking at a range of issues in the area. These included the virtually non-existent train service from Sudbury Harrow Road Station; The state of litter around the station; the closure of Barham Library by the Labour Council and looking at alternative space for the library in the local Sudbury Town tube station.

“It was good to walk around Sudbury and to discuss the transport and library issues with Cllr Paul Lorber and the team, to see and hear first hand the real problems that local residents face” commented Caroline.

Action on Policing in Brent

Caroline visited Brent on Friday 26th April to meet local Lib Dem Sarah Teather MP and local councillors to look at a range of issues in the Borough.

After looking at the dangerous A5 near Staples Corner and the need for a pedestrian Crossing, Caroline visited the Dollis Hill Safer Neighbourhood Base which is set to become one of the Mayor’s new Contact Points for the police. This office will be open for 3 hours a week and be a place where local residents can report crime, rather than at the local police station which is being closed by the Mayor.

Action in Camden

Caroline visited Camden Borough on Friday 12th April to see first hand local issues that are of concern to local communities and local Lib Dem Councillors.

Caroline started her visit looking at the potential impact of HS2 near Camden Town and the very busy and potentially dangerous main roads for cyclists and pedestrians with Councillors Chris Naylor, Paul Braithwaite and Keith Moffit. (Read more here in the Camden New Journal. Caroline is working with a cross party group of members of the House of Lords looking at a potential alternative for the London end of HS2 which would not have such a damaging impact in Camden around Euston and on the London Overground service.

Caroline then went to visit Belsize Fire Station, one of the 12 under threat of closure by Conservative Mayor Boris Johnson. Caroline spoke with local councillor Tom Simon and local residents about their safety concerns

Mayor must do more to tackle Air Pollution

Earlier this week Caroline met with Cllr Graham Neale and local residents off Old Kent Road to discuss the impact which motor traffic is having on local air quality.

Despite a growing body of evidence suggesting that spending long periods of time in close proximity to busy roads can cause or exacerbate childhood asthma and lead to permanently reduced lung function, the Mayor has been reluctant to publish smog alerts during recent air pollution episodes.

Caroline supports campaign to save Downham fire station

Caroline recently visited Downham fire station to give her support to the local campaign by local residents and Liberal Democrats to save the fire station.

The fire station is situated in the south of Lewisham and serves people living in Bromley as well as Lewisham.

The campaign to save the fire station has already generated a petition signed by more than 4500 people.

Campaigning in Eastleigh

Caroline Pidgeon AM went to her home town of Eastleigh to help the local Lib Dems with the Parliamentary by-election.

Caroline was joined by lots of London Lib Dems including Chair Mike Tuffrey for a day of campaigning.

Out and about in Berrylands, Kingston

Caroline Pidgeon AM was delighted to join many local Councillors and other local members out door knocking on Saturday 9th February. The team were joined by Council by-election candidate Sushila Abraham who is standing to represent Berrylands Ward following the sad death before Christmas of the wonderful Cllr Frances Moseley. Sushila has lived in Surbiton for 20 years and is a local solicitor specialising in family law.

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