Caroline spoke at a London Councils event at Liberal Democrat conference on what London needs from the Treasury's spending review. Caroline stressed the funding pressure on London's public services, particularly Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police, and called for a better deal for London.
Caroline joined with the Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, to present a petition calling on the Mayor to transfer Watford's stations into Zone 6 and give a fairer deal to Watford commuters.
As the news came in that Crossrail services will not launch in December 2018, and will be postponed until autumn 2019, Caroline Pidgeon, chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, said:
"It is disappointing that the decision to delay the launch of Crossrail has been announced at such late notice. It is scarcely believable that the Mayor, TfL and Crossrail did not know of a likely delay a long time ago and chose not to let Londoners know sooner.
Speaking to City AM, Caroline described her frustration at the poor service on the Gospel Oak to Barking line, and the repeated delays in introducing electric trains to replace the unreliable diesel trains that currently run.
"Users of this line have been badly let down.
"The continual excuses and passing of the buck between TfL, Network Rail and the train manufacturer are a perfect case study of everything that is wrong with our railway industry.
Caroline talked to Rail magazine about the frustrating Crossrail platform design which will leave disabled people unable to get onto trains step-free at suburban stations.
The new platforms at central stations have been built 20cm higher than the standard, which will leave an upwards step for passengers who board trains at the existing stations on the east and west of the route.
Caroline said:
Writing for Liberal Democrat Voice, Caroline points out that the issues around the third runway at Heathrow have not been properly discussed, and that the campaign against it needs to go on.
So let’s be absolutely clear, despite the thumping vote in favour of a third Heathrow runway the arguments against a third Heathrow have not been addressed
Many of the arguments in favour are outdated, most notably the obsession with hub airports.
As the London Assembly Transport Committee completes its investigation into the causes of the huge rail timetable disruption that started with the Thameslink services in May, committee chair Caroline Pidgeon has written to the Transport Secretary, setting out the structural and organisation problems in the industry and calling for real responsibility and action from the government.
Caroline welcomed the news that the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone will force Transport for London will to finally replace the old buses that make up most of the Dial-a-Ride service.
Caroline told MayorWatch:
“Having so many Dial-a-Ride vehicles which are 15, 16 and even 17 years old clearly indicates that there has not been sustained investment in the Dial-a-Ride service.
Caroline talked to London Live about the lessons the whole rail industry needs to learn from the timetable disruption caused by theThameslink changes in May.
