Caroline Pidgeon receives pledge that a new approach will be considered for upgrading the Northern Line

4.08.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 19th May 2010

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:

"The end of the PPP provides a golden opportunity to consider a new approach to upgrading the London Underground, especially for the Northern Line. Instead of months of early evening and weekend closures we must now seriously consider short, sharp bursts of work on sections of the Northern Line lasting just a few weeks. I welcome the Mayor's assurance that he will consider new options but his pledge must now be delivered.

Explaining the advantages of temporary blockades Caroline Pidgeon said:

" Lessons desperately need to be learnt form the hugely disruptive effects of the upgrades that have already taken place on the Jubilee Line. Residents along this line have faced more than a year of inconvenience and misery. In addition hundreds of traders and small businesses that rely on weekend and evening business have been hit for six."

"With plenty of advanced notice and with alternative transport put in place temporary blockades of short sections of the Northern Line would often lead to far less pain than the drawn out and chaotic impact of months and months of weekend and evening closures. And the works would cost less."

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Details of Caroline Pidgeon's question to Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, can be seen at: http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/webcasts with her question starting at 10.18 am.

2. Caroline Pidgeon is the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Vice Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee