Transport articles

TfL taken to task over Brixton works

Improvement works in Brixton town centre are causing chaos for commuters, according to Liberal Democrat GLA member, Caroline Pidgeon.

Ms Pidgeon met with senior officials from Transport for London (TfL) in Brixton on Monday at rush hour to see for themselves the mess left by contractors on the site.

In an hour-long briefing with local Liberal Democrat Councillors Ashley Lumsden and Roger Giess and Streatham's Parliamentary Spokesman, Chris Nicholson, officers were taken to task over ongoing traffic congestion, health and safety risks from misplaced barriers around the works, and piles of debris left in mounds near street lights and bus stops.

21 January 2009 - 11:55pm

A Better Way To Go

Responding to Boris Johnson’s consultation on his transport document Way To Go, the Liberal Democrat group at the London Assembly today launched their own proposals with the provocative title A Better Way To Go.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Transport Assembly spokesperson, said:

"Above all else the Mayor needs to focus on reducing the need to travel. Many Londoners spend three hours a day getting to and from work in intolerably crowded conditions. It makes no sense for London’s economy to have a workforce which is often stressed and irritable before they get to their desks each day.

"Many people are also facing longer and longer journeys to use key public services or simply to go shopping. There has to be a better way.

16 January 2009 - 9:07pm

Do the views of Londoners mean nothing to the Government?

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Assembly Transport spokesperson, commenting on the expected decision by Ministers to approve plans to build a third runway at Heathrow airport, said:
”The decision by Ministers to go ahead with the third runway at Heathrow is a huge insult to Londoners.

15 January 2009 - 9:42pm

The future of Heathrow

Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson on the London Assembly, has spelled out the Liberal Democrats' opposition to a third runway at Heathrow, in an article on LondonUnlocked.org.

Caroline writes:

"If the proposals for a third Heathrow runway go ahead there will be a flight every 90 seconds. 750 homes will be destroyed and an estimated 100,000 children’s education affected by the noise. There will be more cars clogging up roads to the airport and the noise and disturbance will affect literally millions of Londoners due to new flight paths...

15 January 2009 - 9:37pm

Rethink cuts to London's cycling network

Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson at City Hall, seconded a motion at an Assembly meeting on 14th January, calling on the Mayor to rethink his plans to cut funding for the London Cycle Network Plus and to ensure the network is completed by its 2010 target date.

The Mayor’s draft budget for 2009-10 proposes reducing spending on the LCN+ from £20m to £10m.

15 January 2009 - 9:32pm

Don't play games over Crossrail

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Assembly Transport spokesperson, commenting on plans by Conservative MPs to oppose the Business Rate Supplements Bill at its Second Reading, said:

”David Cameron’s Tories cannot afford to play politics with Crossrail. After such extensive delays it is hard to believe that the Tories are willing to take such dangerous risks over the future of Crossrail.

“Blocking such legislation also shows how naïve the Conservative party are, as such legislation will almost certainly be necessary for a new high speed rail link.

12 January 2009 - 9:55pm

Brown must stand by his legacy on London Underground

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Transport spokeswoman on the London Assembly, commenting on today’s London Underground PPP Report, said:

“London Underground has an immense amount of ground to recover since taking over the failed Metronet contracts. We should take some comfort that from an appalling low base it appears to be making good headway at lower cost. In many respects the PPP report gives us the first glimpse of public sector versus the private sector in maintaining and upgrading the Tube.

9 January 2009 - 10:09pm

"Allow everyone to benefit from Oyster cards"

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson,
commenting on today’s announcement that passengers will be able to use their Oyster cards on almost all London’s rail network by the end of the summer said:

"Londoners have had to wait far too long to use "pay-as-you-go" Oyster cards at National Rail stations.

9 January 2009 - 10:01pm

High price of dithering in Whitefoot

Boris Johnson has this week stated that vital improvements to a junction in south Catford might now go ahead after years of delays.

Responding to a question from Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon, the Mayor stated that Transport for London will start a consultation process for improvements at the junction of Bromley Road and Whitefoot Lane in Spring 2009. At present the junction only has pedestrian lights at two of the four sides of the junction, leaving many pedestrians in a very vulnerable position.

Whitefoot councillor Dan Houghton said:
"For many years TfL have been aware how dangerous this junction is, especially for children. Due to their dithering their own research and modelling for the junction became out of date and they were forced to repeat their investigations, causing further delays. Both pedestrians and the taxpayer have paid a high price for Transport for London's dithering over this junction."

6 January 2009 - 8:36pm

Bid to ease overcrowding on the 245

Brent’s Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign with Caroline Pidgeon AM to ease overcrowding on the 245 Bus route, in an attempt to make life easier for those travelling at peak times.

The popular route is particularly congested in the morning rush hour between 7 and 9am, and again in the evenings after around 4pm, according to Lib Dem Councillor Daniel Brown, the Council’s Lead Member for Highways and Transportation.

5 January 2009 - 7:44pm

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