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Islington + London-wide stories

Crossrail is vital but needs to learn lessons

24 February 2010 - 9:15pm — 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 - 9:43pm — 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.

Keeping track of Crossrail

22 December 2009 - 10:49am — Administrator

Caroline went on a site visit on Friday 18th December to look at works at Tottenham Court Road for Crossrail and the upgrade of the London Underground Station.

Caroline joins cross-party campaign for better access to Finsbury Park station

30 October 2009 - 11:39pm — Administrator

Caroline joined local campaigners in Islington on Monday 26 October to support the launch of their access to Finsbury Park station campaign.

The Mayor of London has announced the deferral of many step free access schemes at various tube stations all over the capital including Finsbury Park in Islington.

Northern Line could close from 10pm on weekdays

2 September 2009 - 9:44pm — Administrator

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.

Boris's bureaucrats go basket bonkers!

6 August 2009 - 8:55pm — Administrator

Boris Johnson's Transport for London bureaucrats have gone bonkers over Islington's hanging flower baskets and ordered that some of them must come down – for health and safety reasons.

In an extraordinary bit of red tape, Transport for London bosses have told Islington Council that the baskets pose a risk to pedestrians, buses and cars. The Council has had to check each lamp-post to see if it can take the "strain".

Council staff have now taken down ten of the offending baskets along Upper Street and Holloway Road.

Islington's Liberal Democrat council has put up a record number of flower baskets this year – over 1000 across the borough. Islington is representing London and the South East in this year's "Britain in Bloom" competition, so TfL's intervention is particularly unwelcome. TfL have a long history of supporting "Britain in Bloom" and were former sponsors.

Caroline takes the One Hour Bus Ticket campaign to Islington and Camden

1 June 2009 - 9:31pm — Administrator



Caroline took the London Liberal Democrats' campaign for a one-hour bus ticket to Islington last week. She joined Lib Dem Parliamentary campaigner Bridget Fox to talk to local residents about the campaign, and to ask them to sign a petition to the Mayor.

Caroline also joined Sarah Ludford MEP and Lib Dem campaigners from Holborn & St Pancras, meeting voters in Camden and collecting signatures for the petition.

Lib Dem campaigners welcome work on accident blackspot

22 May 2009 - 10:00pm — Administrator

Finally, work has begun to improve the junction between Pentonville Road and Penton Rise, a notorious accident blackspot. This work begins eight months after Lib Dem Councillor George Allan and Lib Dem Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon handed a petition to the Major of London last year calling for vital improvements to the roads around the King's Cross area, including Penton Rise.

Originally, work was due to begin in January 2009, but was delayed by TfL three times, causing growing frustration and growing Lib Dem pressure on the London Mayor to act. Since the last deadline set by TfL for April 2009 there have been a further three accidents. Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson Bridget Fox responded to these collisions stating: 'Boris talks a lot about safety, but what we need at Penton Rise is action!'

Mayor urged to act over unsafe junction on Holloway Road

24 March 2009 - 10:09pm — Administrator

Islington councillors Laura Willoughby, Terry Stacy and John Gilbert presented a petition to GLA member Caroline Pidgeon this week in protest urging action to improve safety on the junction of Holloway Road, Fieldway Crescent and Madras Place. Caroline, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, formally presented the petition to Mayor of London Boris Johnson, asking him to take action.

The petition has been signed by around 300 Islington residents and was organised by the Liberal Democrat Councillors from Highbury East ward.

After presenting the petition on Wednesday morning Caroline said:
"I am delighted to be able to support this campaign. It is absolutely necessary to make the junction safer for both cyclists and pedestrians. I have already asked two questions to the Mayor over this issue and I hope this petition really forces Boris Johnson to ensure Transport for London sort out this problem."

Lib Dems take the lead in supporting car clubs

10 March 2009 - 9:58pm — Administrator

Liberal Democrat councils have the best record of any political party in supporting the growth in car clubs across London.

This week Transport for London granted £1 million of funding to support the growth of car clubs across London over the next years. Less than two thirds of London boroughs actually applied for funding (19 out of 33 boroughs), yet all seven Liberal Democrat councils in London rose to the challenge and successfully secured funding for their boroughs.