Wandsworth + London-wide stories
Caroline welcomes cancellation of August Northern Line closures
28 July 2010 - 10:03pm — Administrator
Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat Assembly Group and transport spokesperson, commenting on Transport for London’s sudden decision to cancel most weekend closures on the Northern Line during the month of August after their review of required weekend closures, said:
Save the South London Line
28 July 2010 - 10:01pm — Administrator
Lib Dems Caroline Pidgeon AM and Simon Hughes MP joined politicians of all parties at a Save the South London Line campaign event at Clapham High Street station on 28th July.
The event was to highlight the future plans to axe this vital service between Victoria and London Bridge stations, via stations such as Clapham High Street, Peckham Rye and South Bermondsey.
"When we were promised the extension of the East London Line to Clapham Junction, it was never in place of our existing South London Line service. We need both services to meet the demand for transport in South East London and for the hospital workers and visitors who go between Guy's Hospital at London Bridge and King's or the Maudsley down in Denmark Hill. I do not want to see any of the stations on this route left with a worse service" commented Caroline Pidgeon.
Caroline joins Lib Dems from across London and the UK at Pride 2010
19 July 2010 - 9:21pm — Administrator
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the London Assembly Lib Dems, joined senior Lib Dems including Lynne Featherstone MP, Sarah Ludford MEP, and party president Ros Scott, at the Pride London 2010 event on Saturday 3rd July - the UK's largest annual LGBT event.
Caroline Pidgeon receives pledge that a new approach will be considered for upgrading the Northern Line
23 May 2010 - 6:01pm — AdministratorCaroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson, today received an assurance from the Mayor that following the end of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for London Underground he will now “look at all options” over how to upgrade the Northern Line.
Caroline Pidgeon, who has been a long-standing advocate of the use of temporary blockades to complete the upgrades, said:
24-hour working would reduce disruption for Londoners
12 April 2010 - 9:47pm — AdministratorIn the Evening Standard, Ross Lydall reports on calls for the current works on Albert Bridge to continue 24 hours a day, in order to shorten its 18-month closure.
Caroline Pidgeon is quoted in the article, saying:
If London’s gridlock is to be seriously tackled we need to think of imaginative ways to ensure roadworks and repairs to bridges are carried out far more quickly. Work carried out around the clock could play a key role in ensuring far less grief and disruption for Londoners.
Five-point plan for a better Northern Line upgrade
8 April 2010 - 9:43pm — Administrator
Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem chair of the London Assembly's Transport Committee, has proposed a five-point plan to get the Northern line upgrade completed with the minimum possible disruption to residents and businesses who rely on the line.
In a letter to Ed Fordham, the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn, Caroline makes these proposals:
- All current upgrade plans be immediately suspended for 3-4 months, allowing a full consultation to be conducted, enabling local residents and businesses to have their views heard.
- Replace months of early evening and weekend closures with short, sharp bursts of work on sections of the Northern line (blockades lasting several weeks).
- Keep the Northern line open when the London Overground rail network or the Jubilee Line are closed for upgrade work.
Waterloo International platforms – a wasted resource
8 February 2010 - 9:20pm — Administrator
As part of the London Liberal Democrats' Campaign For Better Stations, Caroline Pidgeon joined south-west London MPs Ed Davey, Tom Brake and Susan Kramer on a visit to Waterloo station.
The Waterloo International platforms, which Eurostar trains used until their move to St Pancras in 2007, are still completely unused - in such a congested station as Waterloo, this is a wasted resource which should be put to use to improve services for commuters from south-west London.
Across London, the Lib Dems have a 5-point plan for better rail stations:
Mayor refuses to commit to replacement Bellingham service for South London Line passengers
31 January 2010 - 8:52pm — AdministratorReplying to a question from Caroline Pidgeon AM, Lib Dem chair of the London Assembly's Transport Committee, Boris Johnson has refused to commit funds to fund a rail service from Victoria to Bellingham, which would ease the impact on South London Line passengers when their line is closed in 2012.
With the currenct economic situation, there is no way that funding could be allocated to the Victoria–Bellingham service without cutting back on services or projects elsewhere.
Campaigning to save the South London Line
16 November 2009 - 9:10pm — Administrator
Caroline Pidgeon joined local residents and other Assembly members to lobby Boris Johnson. Mayor of London about the future of the South London Line. They then went to meet Sadiq Khan MP, Minister for Transport.
On the same day, Lib Dem Simon Hughes MP secured a debate on this important subject with Government. (You can read the debate in Parliament here.)
“Both the mayor and Government have got to stop trying to pass the buck on the future of this important railway line. We must ensure London Bridge is rebuilt to allow the South London Line to continue to run between London Bridge and Victoria after the Thameslink works are complete, and an interim services Victoria to Bellingham in the meantime” added Caroline Pidgeon AM.
Northern Line could close from 10pm on weekdays
2 September 2009 - 10:44pm — AdministratorThe Evening Standard reports on plans for sections of the Northern Line to close at 10pm on weeknights, as signalling systems are replaced over the next two years.
In the article, Caroline gives her views:
Caroline Pidgeon, Lib-Dem transport spokeswoman on the London Assembly, encouraged TfL and Tube Lines to “think outside the box” and suggested that full-line closures, lasting several weeks at a time, may be more efficient than repeated weekend shut-downs.
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