A plan for a comprehensive refurbishment of the Greenwich and Woolwich foot tunnels is currently in progress, as announced by a council in south-east London.
The acting cabinet member for transport at Greenwich Council confirmed that an agreement has been reached with Tower Hamlets Council to replace the frequently malfunctioning lifts in the Greenwich tunnel.
Greenwich Council jointly owns the Greenwich tunnel with Tower Hamlets and the Woolwich tunnel with Newham; however, it is responsible for the operation and management of both pedestrian river crossings.
The council has faced criticism for its management of the tunnels, particularly as regular users have frequently expressed dissatisfaction with the prolonged out-of-service status of the lifts.
Previously, Greenwich Council explained that acquiring custom parts needed for the lift repairs has been challenging, leading to delays in restoring them to working order.
During a recent meeting, Councillor Calum O’Byrne Mulligan announced that the authority would spearhead the complete refurbishment of the Greenwich foot tunnel and its lifts in collaboration with its partner council north of the Thames.
He stated, “The week before last, I had a highly productive meeting with Tower Hamlets, involving their cabinet member for transport and several senior officers. I was very pleased when they concurred that we could move to the detailed design phase for the full tunnel regeneration.”
O’Byrne Mulligan highlighted that the master plan entails replacing both lifts with dual-shaft systems to enhance their “reliability and serviceability.”
Additionally, the plan incorporates improvements to the tunnel’s lighting and heritage features, along with initiatives to promote increased use of the crossing.
He expressed his delight at Tower Hamlets’ endorsement of the plan and mentioned that he has reached out to Newham Council to apply a similar approach for the Woolwich foot tunnel.
Furthermore, O’Byrne Mulligan confirmed that the council has been collaborating with the mayor’s office to establish “a coordinated strategy for reliable and fully accessible step-free travel beneath the river for both Greenwich and Woolwich.”
Meanwhile, campaigners from the Lifts Now residents’ group remain skeptical, pointing out that the north lift of the Woolwich tunnel is still non-operational, and the south lift continues to be unreliable.
The group reported that over 1,800 individuals have endorsed their petition and emphasized their intention to advocate for the management of the crossings to be transferred to Transport for London.
