Lewisham + London-wide stories
Surrey Canal Road station campaign must continue – Caroline Pidgeon
2 September 2010 - 10:27pm — AdministratorCaroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, has received final confirmation this week that the Department of Transport will not provide £7 million in funding required to build a new train station at Surrey Canal Road.
Funding for the proposed station on the second phase of the East London Line has been considered by the Department of Transport over an extensive period of time. After lengthy delays in making a decision both Boris Johnson and Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, wrote on the 14th December 2009 to the previous transport minister urging that a final decision was made .
Commenting on the Minister’s reply Caroline Pidgeon, who is deputy chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, said:
“It is a great shame that after so many delays and passing of the buck that this situation has arisen. A crucial window of opportunity has long passed to quickly build a station. Sadly it is no longer possible to build a station and ensure its opening coincided with the opening of the second phase of the East London Line.
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.
Mayor fails to raise Surrey Canal Road station at ministerial meeting
12 June 2010 - 10:06pm — AdministratorCaroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, commenting on the Mayor’s admission at Mayor’s Question Time that he did not raise the issue of Surrey Canal Road station at his first meeting with the new Secretary of State for Transport, said:
"It is incredible that the Mayor failed to raise the issue of Surrey Canal Road station with the Secretary of State when he clearly promised that he would. If we don't secure the additional seven million now this station will be lost for a generation.
"As a matter of urgency the Mayor must get on the phone to the Minister and ensure this issue is finally resolved."
You can also read coverage of this story by the Lewisham News Shopper and by local blog Brockley Central.
New London Overground line opens in East London
28 May 2010 - 11:24pm — Administrator
Lib Dem London Transport Spokesperson Caroline Pidgeon AM, joined Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Simon Hughes with Southwark Lib Dem Leader Cllr Anood Al-Samerai, Cllr Wilma Nelson and other local supporters on a trip up and down the new London Overground line which opened on Sunday 23rd May.
The team started at Surrey Quays and went up to Dalston Junction in Hackney, before having a café break in Hoxton going south. The team finished up in Crystal Palace.
“The new service is really impressive. However, not all of the trains had any air cooling systems working which on such a hot day meant the trains were rather hot – something I’ll be taking up with the Mayor!” commented Caroline.
One last chance for Surrey Canal Road station
23 May 2010 - 6:11pm — AdministratorA key meeting next week will probably be the final chance to secure funding for Surrey Canal Road station on the East London Line. This week Boris Johnson confirmed to Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, that funding of the station will be one of the key issues on the agenda of a meeting being held next week (Thursday 27th May) between the Mayor of London and Philip Hammond MP, the new Secretary of State for Transport.
East London Line reopens, but South London Line services still threatened
29 April 2010 - 9:40pm — AdministratorIn 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.
We need answers on Surrey Canal Road station
27 March 2010 - 4:34pm — AdministratorCaroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, commenting on a recent statement by Peter Hendy (Commissioner of Transport for London) that a firm commitment has still not been received from central Government for an additional £7 million funding contribution towards a new station being built at Surrey Canal Road said:
“This is seriously bad news for North Lewisham and for South Bermondsey.
“Despite predictions that a new station would be used by 1.3 million passengers a year and help bring significant investment to the area it seems the Department of Transport are now dithering over whether to support this much needed new station. Without a station at Surrey Canal Road many of the benefits of the second phase of the East London Line extension will be denied to many residents in North Lewisham.
“It is time the Department for Transport clarified their position once and for all. Does their previous pledge to contribute £7 million for this much needed station still stand?
Caroline joins Forest Hill campaigners against rail service cuts
27 March 2010 - 4:19pm — Administrator
Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Committee chair Caroline Pidgeon joined Lewisham Lib Dem councillors, and local campaigners from the Forest Hill Society, to present a petition to the Department for Transport calling for cuts to their train services to be reversed.
Looking forward to the new East London Line
4 February 2010 - 9:39pm — Administrator
On Thursday 28th January Caroline went on a visit to look at the new East London Line Extension works and to view the extension of the Docklands Light Railway.
Caroline visited New Cross Gate Depot and saw the new trains for the line, as well as looking at the new station and works at Shoreditch.
The DLR visit included a trip out to Stratford and down to Woolwich via City Airport.
“The extension of the DLR and the works on the new East London Line were very impressive and it is great to see so much investment going into public transport. I can’t wait for the East London Line to reopen” said Lib Dem Caroline Pidgeon.
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.
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