Caroline Pidgeon

Replying 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.

Read the Mayor's full letter here.

The 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.

Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrat Chair of the Transport Committee at City Hall, was one of the speakers at the West London Line Group’s recent event at West Brompton.

Caroline joined members of the rail user group including its Chair Mark Balaam for a tour of the station and a discussion about many of the ongoing issues the group are campaigning for.

“It was great to hear the history of this important railway line. It is very important that as part of the Sussex Rail Utilisation Strategy, this line is seen as a good way to help passengers to travel across the capital without having to go into the centre of London. It has huge potential and I hope the Government and Mayor of London consider many of the good ideas the West London Line Group are proposing” commented Caroline Pidgeon.

You can read more about the group at http://www.westlondonlinegroup.org.uk/index.htm.

Boris Johnson has suggested that negotiations to allow the East London Extension to go ahead are now close to completion. Responding to repeated questions from Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, the Mayor stated that he was “confident” it would go ahead, claiming that “we are on the threshold of greatness” and that “we are almost there”.

Caroline Pidgeon, who is the Liberal Democrat Transport Assembly Spokesperson, said:
“After so many years of waiting it is incredibly exciting that we now appear to be so close to a deal being agreed to allow the go ahead of this much needed transport project.