Caroline's news

Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrats’ transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, says the Mayor, also the chair of Transport for London, is clearly not fully clued up on the capital’s transport issues.

Caroline says: “Mayor Johnson floundered when asked key questions of fact on whether London transport will be ready for the 2012 Olympics.

“He was clueless about TfL’s £40 million cutback on the North London Line at Camden Road station which will mean only six trains an hour to Stratford instead of eight.

London Liberal Democrats are demanding urgent action to ease traffic congestion at key level crossing bottlenecks in Richmond.

Following a “summit” meeting with Network Rail, South West Trains and London Overground at Richmond’s Civic Centre, Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrats’ transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, says: “Richmond residents and traders have had to put up with endless delays and traffic queues for far too long. We need new solutions which’ll balance the needs of the rail commuters, who need a frequent service and longer trains, with the need to keep traffic moving.”

Commenting on the news that Connect, London Underground’s £2 billion digital radio system, has had over 100 faults reported in the last two months causing at least three major closures, Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrats' transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, says:
“Whilst teething problems may be expected on new systems like this TfL and Mayor Johnson must do all they can to ensure public safety.

“The new radio system is a brilliant idea – linking up every train, station and staff member – but if it’s failing like this then the whole point of it is lost.

Commenting on the announcement that Transport for London had around £40 million invested in the failed Icelandic bank Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander, Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrat’s transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, says: "It’s up to the government to step in to ensure London’s travelling public doesn’t have to pick up the bill.

"We already face an inflation busting increase in fares from the Tory Mayor on January 1st. Now the Government needs to help ensure we don’t have to pick up another bill."

The Liberal Democrat group at the London Assembly has demanded Mayor Boris Johnson scraps the western extension of the Congestion Charge zone.

In his consultation exercise the Mayor suggested three options for the future of the western extension in Kensington and Chelsea and the GLA Liberal Democrats have now responded.