The former Managing Director of London Underground, Tim O’Toole, posted a comment earlier today paying tribute to Redmond O’Neill, Ken Livingstone’s former director of transport, who died last week.

He said:

“I join with you and everyone who was lucky enough to know Redmond in the profound sense of loss and sadness at his death. How I admired his kindness, his gentle soul and his rigorous mind. You are right that any attempt to sum up his life will be an injustice, so instead an anecdote:

“My first TfL Board strategy session and it was difficult to get a word in as the participants competed for attention. Off to one side sat Redmond, quiet, seemingly deferential and unknown to me. After allowing everyone to talk themselves in circles, he spoke. He spoke in tight, complete sentences; he presented a coherent picture of what the city needed, how the need should be met and when. His presentation was articulate and coherent and greeted with a bemused silence as all recognised that the commentary that preceded it was a waste of time. I thought then, ‘Ah, here is someone to credit, to follow his lead.’ And so I did for the rest of my time in London. I wish I had thanked him.”

More on this here and here.