Caroline's news

Shepherd's Bush blogger Chris Underwood has a story on the failure and cancellation of the "guided cycle tours" that TfL offered in Hammersmith and Fulham in June.

The article includes Caroline's question to the Mayor on the subject:

Caroline Pidgeon: Can you give an outline of how the publicity strategy differed to last year’s, in light of the low participation rate last year?

Boris Johnson: Between last year and this year the approach differs in the following ways:

Link to existing cycle programmes: Cycle Fridays was a standalone initiative, marketed via an advertising campaign. This year, rides are being offered as a support product to help individuals take advantage of existing cycling programmes including the London Cycle Challenge and Barclay’s Cycle Superhighways. The publicity for the rides is incorporated into existing programme channels; the only cost incurred is for the rides themselves.

Create a flexible programme, which responds to demand: Last year the number of rides publicised were fixed, but this year TfL is closely monitoring participation in the rides.

Roll out the rides in short bursts: Last year TfL publicised a block of rides for 10 weeks and participation dropped off over time. This year, each set of rides will last no longer than five weeks before a break. If a particular programme is not generating sufficient demand, the remaining rides can be scaled back or cancelled.

Change the name: Awareness of Cycle Fridays was relatively high; however understanding of what was on offer was lower. To make this clear, TfL changed the name to ‘Guided Cycle Rides’.

Read the full story here.

Caroline recently hosted a meeting with Lib Dem Campaigners Pete Dollimore, Martin Clark and Vic Stoneham about the extension to the H98 bus route in Hillingdon. In May Caroline presented a petition to the Mayor signed by local people who strongly supported an extension of the bus to West Ruislip Station.

Local Lib Dem Campaigner and Committee Member of Oak Farm Residents’ Association, Vic Stoneham, presented a detailed paper to the meeting on the 6th July providing a history to the bus route and the logic to extend the H98 through Hillingdon and West Ruislip stations.

Caroline recently went to Sutton Civic Centre to meet with Leader of the Council Cllr Sean Brennan, Deputy Leader Cllr Ruth Dombey, Executive Member for Communities, Transport and Voluntary Sector, Cllr Simon Wales and Executive Member for Community Safety, Leisure and Libraries, Lord Graham Tope.

As Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at City Hall Caroline wants to work closely with Lib Dem Councillors across London to help with local campaigns, particularly on issues such as transport, police, the environment and the legacy from the Olympics.

Sutton is the largest Lib Dem Group in London and is a great example of Liberal Democrats policies being put into practice such as around the environment. Sutton is also a pilot for the new coalition government’s big society initiative.

“It was really useful to chat with some of our leading Lib Dem Councillors in Sutton about working closely together on wider London concerns as well as some really specific borough issues such as the X26 bus, problems with nightbuses and the impact of Thameslink. I look forward to working even more closely with our Sutton team over the coming months and years” commented Caroline.

Photo – Caroline at St Helier Hospital in Sutton

Caroline recently went to Hackney Town Hall to meet with Lib Dem Councillor Ian Sharer and Councillor Abraham Jacobson.

As Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at City Hall Caroline wants to work closely with Lib Dem Councillors across London to help with local campaigns, particularly on issues such as transport, police, the environment and the legacy from the Olympics.

A number of issues were discussed, including issues with a local bus garage and some wider Transport for London issues.

Through questions to the Mayor in the London Assembly, Liberal Democrat Caroline Pidgeon AM has revealed that around a third of the capital’s worst bus routes run through Brent.

The 220, 452 and 228 all fell within the ten worst performing routes in London, according to independent watchdog TravelWatch. The service on the 228 was singled out for particular concern by the Chair of London Travelwatch.