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Camden + London-wide stories

Jubilee Line fiasco must lead to new policy on tube upgrades

12 August 2010 - 9:44pm — Administrator

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on today’s apology by London Underground for the years of suffering faced by passengers on the Jubilee Line and the announcement that there will still be 15 weekends of full or partial closures before Christmas, said:

"This is grim news for all the Jubilee Line passengers who have suffered so much disruption over months and years. There is no light at the end of the tunnel just more and more closures.

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:

Frognal and Ftizjohns by-election

25 July 2010 - 5:16pm — Administrator

Caroline Pidgeon AM visited Camden on Sunday 18th July to help David Bouchier in the Frognal and Fitzjohns by-election.

“It was fantastic to be out and about talking to local residents about a wide range of local issues such as planning concerns, where some people are expanding their homes by going down into the foundations, and the state of the economy nationally.

“David lives locally and knows Belsize, Frognal and Hampstead Village like the back of his hand. I hope local residents will give him their support to be a strong local voice for Frog 'n' Fitz ward” commented Caroline.

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.

Campaigning with Camden Lib Dems in Haverstock

28 May 2010 - 11:29pm — Administrator

Leader of the Liberal Democrats at City Hall, Caroline Pidgeon AM, joined Haverstock Liberal Democrats – Rahel Bokth, Jill Fraser, and Matt Sanders – on Saturday to help them with their council by-election on Tuesday 25th May. The team were in good spirits and many local residents were pledging their support for the hard working local team, who all live in the ward.

Matt and Jill have been councillors for a number of years and have a really strong track record of campaigning for local people from protecting Talacre Gardens, to getting the local library open for longer and securing extra police for our streets.

The by-election was caused by the sad death of Lib Dem candidate Cllr Syed Hoque in the campaign.

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:

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.

The Jubilee Line deserves later opening hours

21 March 2010 - 7:28pm — Administrator

The Mayor has been urged to deliver on his pledge to Londoners to extend the tube’s opening hours on Friday and Saturday nights, starting with the Jubilee Line, at today’s Mayor’s Question Time (Wednesday 17th March).

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, reminded the Mayor of his specific election pledge to extend the opening hours of the whole tube network for one hour later on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Speaking after her question to the Mayor she said:
“The Mayor was elected promising to extend the opening hours of the whole tube network. It is now time he honoured his pledge, starting with the Jubilee Line, where the upgrade works be completed this year.

“Everyone who uses this line has already faced months of inconvenience and many traders that rely on weekend and evening business have been hit for six. If there is one line that deserves to benefit from longer hours it must be the Jubilee Line.

Video - Caroline talks to Hampstead traders about weekend tube closures

9 March 2010 - 9:09pm — Administrator

Caroline Pidgeon joined Lib Dem Parliamentary Campaigner for Hampstead and Kilburn, Ed Fordham, and talked to local people about the impact to them of planned closures on the Northern, Metropolitan and Jubilee lines. Watch the videos here...

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.