Transport articles

Improvements to Lambeth bus service welcomed by Caroline Pidgeon

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, has received assurances from Transport for London (TfL) that significant improvements will take place on an important Lambeth bus route.

Caroline took up the issue with TfL after concerns were raised by local residents and Liberal Democrat councillors. She has now been informed by TfL that the 59 bus route that runs from Streatham to Euston bus station, via Brixton station, Lambeth North station and Aldwych, will see far more buses running northward. The improvements should take place towards the end of the year.

TfL dithering over dangerous Catford junction

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Assembly Transport spokesperson, recently visited the Tiger’s Head junction on Bromley Road in south Catford to discover at first hand how dangerous the junction is.

After visiting the junction and being briefed by Downham councillor Julia Fletcher she said:
“The extensive delays to improving this junction were brought to my attention by local Liberal Democrat councillors last Autumn and in November I raised the issue with a question to Boris Johnson.

“For many years Transport for London have known full well just how dangerous this junction is, especially for children, some of whom need to cross the junction to attend a local school. It is simply disgraceful that pedestrians are expected to cross four lanes of busy traffic with no pedestrian lights to assist them.

Boris Johnson makes pledge on East London extension to Caroline Pidgeon

Boris Johnson has suggested that negotiations to allow the East London Extension to go ahead are now close to completion. Responding to repeated questions from Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, the Mayor stated that he was “confident” it would go ahead, claiming that “we are on the threshold of greatness” and that “we are almost there”.

Caroline Pidgeon, who is the Liberal Democrat Transport Assembly Spokesperson, said:
“After so many years of waiting it is incredibly exciting that we now appear to be so close to a deal being agreed to allow the go ahead of this much needed transport project.

Mayor agrees to look at Lib Dem transport proposals

Boris Johnson, at today’s London Assembly debate on the Mayor’s draft consolidated budget, agreed to carefully examine proposals put forward by the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group on tackling fare evasion and the introduction of a one-hour ticket for bus use.

On fare evasion Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson said:

“It is good news that the Mayor has accepted that far more should be done to tackle fare evasion across the whole transport network. Transport for London estimate that fare evasion is costing at least £70 million a year, which is a bill every honest traveller is paying through higher fares or a lack of investment in new transport.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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