Speaking in the London Assembly about the continued closure of Hammersmith Bridge, with no clear plan to fund its repair, Caroline Pidgeon called on the government to engage and provide financial support to get the bridge into use again.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, commenting on the news of further delays to the opening of Crossrail, said:
“Covid might partly explain these latest delays, but they are only part of the picture as even Crossrail admits.
“The consequences of Crossrail opening two and half years late are immense. The project has soared in cost and every day it is not open valuable fare income is being lost to TfL and this vital new railway is not open to Londoners.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, commenting on the news that most train fares will rise by 1.6% from 2 January 2021, but TfL fares will rise by 2.6% due to Government set conditions on TfL said:
“This exceptionally high fare rise for TfL passengers makes it clear that Londoners continue to pay the price for the political games being played by the Mayor and the Government.
The recent Trust for London report on suspending free travel in London for under-18s makes clear the views of young Londoners about scrapping the scheme, and the impact it would have on so many London teenagers.
The key findings were:
On the tenth anniversary of the cycle hire scheme, Caroline Pidgeon pointed to the gaps in its coverage - especially in south-east London, and especially at a time when so many people want to cycle rather than use buses or trains.
“The bold expansion of the scheme that took place in the early years of the scheme has halted. It is time that much more ambition was shown.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, commenting on the announcement of the further delayed opening of Crossrail said:
“We should never forget that the central section of Crossrail was promised to open in December 2018. It is now clear that we’ll be lucky if it opens by the end of 2021.
“This further delay is terrible news, for passengers and London’s businesses. The hole in TfL’s budget is also set to become even bigger.
Pressed by Caroline Pidgeon at Mayor's Question Time in July, the Mayor has admitted that the central section of Crossrail is now very unlikely to be open by summer 2021.
Caroline said:
"Clarification is vital so Londoners know when the line will finally open.
“For too long Crossrail has been plagued by unrealistic progress reports and misleading claims made to the public.
As Transport for London reported the large bonus payments it made to senior Crossrail managers in the last financial year, Caroline Pidgeon responded:
“These generous payments for TfL’s senior staff continue to be out of step with the harsh economic reality facing its passengers.
“Any form of bonus payments for senior staff working on Crossrail are simply unacceptable. When a project is above budget and set to open almost three years late bonus payments for its senior staff should have long been banished.”
At a virtual London Assembly session, Caroline encouraged the mayor to consider creative proposals to use the transport network as efficiently as possible, especially at a time when social distancing is vital:
With the Congestion Charge about to increase in price and apply for extended hours, Caroline discussed the situation with BBC Radio London.
