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Evelyn Denington
• Mrs Evelyn Denington, a sprightly 62year-old who has succeeded Mr Horace Cutler as chairman of the GLC's transport committee. has a forceful personality and a delightful sense of humour. She reckons anyone devoting a lifetime to local government, as she has done, is either daft or making atonement for sins in a previous lifel She does not underrate the magnitude of the task she has taken on and hopes that in the next four years a Labour GLC can grasp nettles which sting more painfully with every day's delay in taking effective action.
Evelyn Denington is chairman of Stevenage Development Corporation — "my only paid job" — and is determined to introduce to London some of the valuable results of the new town's Superbus services which have demonstrated that good public services can wean motorists from daily car commuting. Use of the Superbuses has nearly trebled and Evelyn hopes for route extensions next year with subsidy help from the revamped local authorities.
Although some of the 18 members of thE transport committee are confirmed "free. fare" addicts, Mrs Denington — a stronc chairman in my judgment — will not readily be taken in by a specious case for free fares To introduce such a nostrum when Londor Transport buses often cannot cope with existing demand would be ludicrous. "Why should I subsidize with my rates those cominc from Brighton — or Timbuktoor She anticipates much tougher controls or car commuters with the likelihood of man) car parks being open from 10.30 am anc closed from 4 to 6 pm.
Car parking facilities in London and the Home Counties, will be boosted, with Govern ment subsidies, she hopes. An old colleague of Environment Minister, Geoffrey Rippor from his LCC days, she believes that part differences will not prevent fruitful cc operation between the GLC and Whitehall.
While ringways 1 and 2 are out, and ring way 3 is politically difficult, not least i Epping Forest, she scouts the idea that Labou
is opposed to all road building in Londor She insists that parts of London worth prE serving will be. Public opinion, now firml focussed on transport and the environmen. she sees as an ally.
Theatres and concerts are enjoyed b this busy woman of affairs and walking i Richmond Park and Surrey is a leisur pursuit. She values the experience and hel of her husband, who is well versed in loc; government, with its many challenges an tedium.