Transport articles

Caroline Pidgeon grills TfL over Dial-a-Ride

Caroline Pidgeon has been at the forefront of the examination of Dial-a-Ride's performance across London. Caroline has already asked extensive questions to the Mayor and is now ensuring further questions are raised through the London Assembly Transport Committee.

A recent Transport Committee meeting into the performance of Dial-a-Ride's service saw Caroline Pidgeon and other Transport Committee members questioning representatives from TfL, Unite and Transport for All, before giving the floor to around 30 Dial-a-Ride users who attended the meeting.

Stonebridge needs a better bus service

Caroline Pidgeon AM has joined Brent Lib Dem MP Sarah Teather and the local Liberal Democrats to campaign for better buses for Stonebridge particularly along Brentfield Road. The 206 and PR2 services which currently serve the area don’t run very often and sometimes don’t even turn up at all. With lots of people coming from outside of Stonebridge to visit the shops such as Ikea and Tesco as well as the world famous Swaminarayan Temple the current links are simply not good enough for local residents and those who use the Temple.

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said “So many local people have told me how unhappy they are with our bus services especially on Brentfield Road. That is why I am urging local people to sign my petition to Transport for London calling for a better bus service for our area.”

Lib Dems take the lead in supporting car clubs

Liberal Democrat councils have the best record of any political party in supporting the growth in car clubs across London.

This week Transport for London granted £1 million of funding to support the growth of car clubs across London over the next years. Less than two thirds of London boroughs actually applied for funding (19 out of 33 boroughs), yet all seven Liberal Democrat councils in London rose to the challenge and successfully secured funding for their boroughs.

Lib Dem report reveals massive overcrowding on Croydon trams

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member and Vice-Chair of the Transport Committee and Croydon Central Liberal Democrat Campaigner Stephen Dering launched a damning report today into overcrowding on the Croydon Tram network.

73% of respondents to the Liberal Democrat survey highlighted that overcrowding was unacceptable or so bad that they could not board the tram.

The Lib Dem survey included over 1,000 tram users at 12 tram stops across Croydon Central in the early mornings between 9th and 13th February.

Change must now come to US Embassy

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and vice chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, has revealed that the US Embassy is now owing Londoners £3 million in unpaid Congestion Charges and Penalty Charge Notices.

In response to questions from Caroline Pidgeon, the Mayor of London has confirmed that a month ago the amount owed by the US Embassy for unpaid Congestion Charges was just under £3 million (£2,941,500). In the last month the debt has almost certainly passed the £3 million figure.

Caroline Pidgeon said:
“The amount now owed by the US Embassy to Londoners is staggering. The money, far from being insignificant, would make a real difference: for example funding miles of new cycle routes or numerous improvements to pedestrian crossings.

Caroline ventures where Boris feared to tread

While London Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) Chair, Boris Johnson, refused to travel on the overcrowded, TfL-run, London Overground Barking–Gospel Oak rail service when invited by London Assembly Chair Jennette Arnold, Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Vice-Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, was made of sterner stuff. She travelled with members of the Barking – Gospel Oak Line User Group (BGOLUG) on a crowded morning peak train from Barking last Friday (27th February) in order to see the overcrowded conditions for herself.

London must follow Paris in electric car revolution

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, following her questions to the Mayor when he committed to look at an electric car hire scheme like the one which exists in Paris, said:

“It is great news that Boris Johnson is at least saying the right things on this issue. London really must follow Paris in adopting a public electric car hire scheme.

Upper Street - we're sick of sprinting!

Islington campaigners want action from Transport for London on what they say are ludicrously short crossing times at a busy Upper Street junction, where Islington Park Street and Canonbury Lane join the main road.

Last Friday, Liberal Democrat campaigner Bridget Fox brought GLA Transport Vice-Chair Caroline Pidgeon to see for herself. And Caroline has pledged her help in raising the issue.

Bridget says, “We timed the green man at just 5.2 seconds. Perhaps TfL think that crossing the road in Islington should be an Olympic event?”

Lib Dems force Streatham High Road rethink

Traffic officers have been forced to do a last-minute rethink of plans for Streatham High Road following a protest by Liberal Democrat GLA member Caroline Pidgeon, supported by local Liberal Democrat councillors.

With work due to begin on Monday, it emerged that a plan to improve conditions for pedestrians by widening the pavement is instead going to narrow the pavement and make it more crowded.

Following a site meeting this week with Caroline and Lib Dem ward councillors, officers from Transport for London agreed to look again at their proposals.

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