Gwyneth Dunwoody - a tribute

One of disabled people's greatest allies, Gwyneth Dunwoody, has died at the age of 77. Gwyneth was MP for Crewe and Nantwich, and the longest serving female MP.

But it was as chair of the Commons Transport Select Committee that she exerted some of her greatest influence in bettering the lot of people with mobility problems. Arthritis Care chief executive Neil Betteridge is also chair of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, and has given oral evidence to the Committee on several occasions.

He recalls her with fondness, but also remembers her tigerish way with those she thought were presenting unnecessary barriers to progress: 'Gwyneth was formidable. She recognised good, sound reasoning when she heard it but, equally, I lost count of the times I saw hardened lobbyists from the transport sector, notoriously macho in many aspects of its culture, wobble and then wilt as Gwyneth's intellect ripped holes in some of their more dubious arguments.

'On issues like low floor buses she knew that “It can't be done” often meant “We don't want to spend time and money doing it”. Usually, partly due to her exposing this, they had to.

'On one occasion I gave evidence on how the planning for the 2012 Olympics could serve as a great opportunity to increase the accessibility of the transport system not just in London but across large parts of the UK.

'Her Select Committee was looking at all aspects of the Olympics, which was a huge undertaking, but around half of the 30 or so recommendations in the Committee's final report to government were about better access for people with mobility problems.

'Gordon Brown described her as “politics at its best” and she certainly was. People with arthritis have much to thank her for and, whilst her legacy will live on for us, I and many others will miss her greatly.'