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Islington + London-wide stories

"Naked" Islington streets will leave pedestrians exposed

19 August 2010 - 9:50pm — Administrator

Moves by London Mayor Boris Johnson to rip out the traffic lights at three locations in Islington have been condemned by the Liberal Democrats.

As part of the Mayor’s plans to speed up traffic flows around the city, he has announced the removal of 145 sets of traffic lights across London with more set to follow. The plans are currently out for consultation. The locations in Islington are:

  • Roman Way/Mackenzie Road (Holloway)

Video: Getting Londoners walking

12 August 2010 - 10:22pm — Administrator

In this video, Caroline reports from Mile End, Islington and Peckham on her findings as part of the London Assembly Transport Committee's investigation into making walking in London safer and more attractive.

Walking around Islington

7 August 2010 - 5:49pm — Administrator

Caroline and a team from City Hall went on an afternoon walk in Islington on Tuesday 3rd August with Sustrans officers Carl and Matt. The fact finding walk is part of Caroline’s investigation into making walking easier and safer in London. The report will look at what the Mayor is doing to make walking safer in London and suggest things he can do in the short, medium and longer term to encourage more Londoners to walk around our great capital city.

The walk started at Highbury and Islington station and finished at Finsbury Park station and followed an entire Connect2 project. Connect2 is a UK-wide programme to develop 79 cycling and walking routes by 2013. Funded the Big Lottery Fund, with matching grants from other sources. The walk showed a number of different walking environments which have been redesigned to increase their attractiveness including a “pocket park” and a “DIY Street” on Monsell Road.

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:

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 — Administrator

Caroline 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:

East London Line reopens, but South London Line services still threatened

29 April 2010 - 9:40pm — Administrator

In an Evening Standard article on the reopening of the East London Line, Caroline Pidgeon points out that the future of South London Line services has still not been guaranteed:

Phase two is wonderful but ultimately the problem is people were promised it in addition to the South London line, not instead.

It will give great connections out to Clapham Junction but people want that as well as routes into Victoria and London Bridge.

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Replace months of early evening and weekend closures with short, sharp bursts of work on sections of the Northern line (blockades lasting several weeks).
  3. Keep the Northern line open when the London Overground rail network or the Jubilee Line are closed for upgrade work.

Crossrail is vital but needs to learn lessons

24 February 2010 - 10:15pm — Administrator

The London Assembly Transport Committee has launched a new report, questioning the sums Londoners are paying for the Crossrail project, and criticising the way compulsory purchases of businesses and homes have been handled.

In the report, 'Light at the end of the tunnel', the Committee recognises the value of the £16bn rail link project, which will bring an extra 10% capacity on London’s overcrowded rail and Tube network, thousands of new jobs and a massive boost to the national economy.

However, it questions the fairness of Londoners contributing the majority of the funding, when 8 of the 37 stations are outside Greater London, and the project is expected to generate £22bn for central government over the next ten years. It also points out Crossrail's poor handling of displaced businesses and residents whose premises are compulsory purchased to make way for construction work, especially in Soho.

Video: monitoring the Crossrail project

12 February 2010 - 10:43pm — Administrator

From the site of the station redevelopment at Tottenham Court Road, Caroline Pidgeon explains how the London Assembly Transport Committee will be monitoring the Crossrail project to ensure it is on time, on budget and delivers the extra transport capacity that London urgently needs.