Caroline Pidgeon and the London Liberal Democrats welcome the adoption of a One Hour Bus ticket, which the party has campaigned to introduce for over a decade.

Caroline Pidgeon has responded to the Mayor of London's consultation on proposals to improve air quality in London.

Oxford Street could be pedestrianised by 2020 is the claim being made by the Mayor of London’s office this week.

Pedestrianising Oxford Street has for many years been advocated by the London Liberal Democrats.

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson, commenting on the announcement today that conductors will be removed from the six routes (9, 10, 11, 24, 38 and 390) that currently operate on new Routemaster buses, starting from this September said:

“The whole point of the new Routemaster buses was that you could jump on and off them.  This was their raison d'être.

“The reality is that the new Routemaster buses were horrendously expensive to purchase and have been plagued with faults, including overheating in the Summer months and serious problems with their batteries.

“London is now burdened with buses which it will struggle to sell as second hand to any other city in the UK, let alone around the world. London has traditionally benefited from having the most modern buses on its roads.  Sadly these new Routemasters will now have to remain on London’s roads until they are only fit for scrappage. We will soon be left behind many cities in the world which are rapidly adopting 100 per cent electric buses.”

“London has paid and will continue to pay an incredible price for Boris Johnson’s obsession with the new Routemaster bus.”

ENDS

Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon and daily user of Southern train services, commenting on the start today of the amended Southern and Gatwick Express timetable, involving no less than 341 daily train services being cancelled every weekday said:

“The level of service provided by Govia Thameslink Railway in recent months has been appalling, there is simply no other way to describe the service that I and so many other people have faced in recent weeks. 

“Their service has led to immense inconvenience for thousands of people and families across south London.  With only 3 trains over the morning rush period and in the evening on some routes, many parents will struggle to reach their childcare on time, causing even more stress”

“I have repeatedly asked for information about the level of drivers they employ, how many are in training and how many they actually require to run their full timetable without relying on the use of overtime. The fact that this information has not been provided to date speaks for itself.”

“By drastically reducing their timetable Southern trains are simply taking the easy option for themselves at the cost of everyone else.  And this is on top of the many cuts to services passengers using London Bridge have faced over the last few years. 

“I hope that before long Southern train services are taken over by London Overground.  In the short term the company must provide details as to when it will end its much reduced service and when it will have enough drivers to drive their trains.  The company should also sort out its poor industrial relations.”

ENDS

Tim Farron and Caroline Pidgeon visited the Polish centre in Hammersmith to show solidarity with the Polish community and to make clear that xenophobic attacks it suffered recently will not be tolerated.

Simon Hughes has launched a new survey to ask people what they think should happen next after the EU Referendum result.

In an email he wrote: "Many people are understandably shocked and angry after the European referendum result. People are worried about whether their partners or they themselves may lose their rights to live here even after decades of being good members of our community. Many are worried about the noises already being made by firms of moving jobs to the continent. Others are simply horrified at the upsurge of racist attacks which have been reported.

"The Lib Dems will stick by our pro-European beliefs - you can read Tim Farron's speech here. Losing one referendum doesn't suddenly change our principles."

"Please take a few moments to complete our survey on what should happen next - and do encourage others you know to do so too."

Paddy Ashdown has invited people to join him to defend the values of tolerance, cooperation and opportunity.

Writing about today's news, he said "I don't know about you, but I'm devastated. Today fear has beaten hope, fiction has beaten fact and our country has been catapulted into the unknown."

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, commenting on Sadiq Khan’s description of the previous Mayor’s ‘Concordant’ scheme to supposedly stop developers advertising London homes abroad first for overseas buyers as ‘toothless’ said:

“Sadiq Khan is absolutely right to criticise the weak measures adopted by the previous Mayor.

“Boris Johnson was twice asked by the London Assembly to investigate the impact that overseas investment was having on the price, affordability and supply of homes for Londoners.   He arrogantly ignored the London Assembly and refused to undertake this much needed research into London’s housing market.

“However criticising the last Mayor will not in itself deliver one more home for Londoners. Sadiq Khan must now set out how he will not repeat the mistakes made by the last Mayor.”

ENDS