Greenwich foot tunnel plan submitted to repair lift
After years of almost continual faults at Greenwich foot tunnel a planning application has finally gone in for repairs and lift alterations.
The lifts have never worked properly since Greenwich Council embarked on an upgrade a decade ago. The old lifts with staff were removed for new glass-door lifts.
Other plans for new lighting and deep cleaning tiles were quietly dropped as project management on the £11.5 million project left much to be desired.
The current lifts have left cyclists and all pedestrians including those with mobility problems with no option but to climb stairs.
According to a new planning application, works comprise:
1) New lift car door operator to replace the current obsolete operator
2) New lift car and landing doors of half glass design as per network rail specification to accommodate the new car door operator
3) Replacement of the regen VVVF drives
4) Thorough clean of lift machine room and internal lift well areas
5) Redecoration of the lift pit area
6) New lift pit sump pump to eliminate risk with regards water ingress
Removal of staff as a cost-cutting measure has done the opposite with claims that damage has been caused to glass doors.
It’s quite likely a staff presence would have prevented such damage.
Staff also provided a presence that enabled a feeling of safety that is now removed.
so by saying new lift car door operator as part of planning, do u mean a human once again (brilliant if so) or a mechanical operation?
The same council that royally messed this up was the same that saw Woolwich Works run £14 million overbudget.
What will it be next?
Both projects were decent and needed but who ever pays in that council for screwing up? Then they say too skint to do other things.
I remember the old lift (with operator) it was a beautiful thing.
I only ever walked the foot tunnel once and didn’t like it at all. These days, I can hop on the DLR since I have a 60+ Oystercard. 🙂
Brilliant news! Can’t wait to not have to carry the bike up and down those stairs every time. It is mad to have to choose between cycling miles out of the way to go over tower bridge or instead having to carry a heavy object up and down loads of stairs. (Realise I am fortunate to at least have the choice – the lack of lifts has effectively prevented those with buggies or in wheelchairs from crossing the river without paying TfL).
While I agree with your campaign to get stations on the southeastern line properly staffed (with ticket barriers to stop the rampant fare evasion at present) I don’t see the need for the Greenwich tunnel lifts to be staffed. There are lifts all over the public transport system and they are perfectly capable of working properly without being manned. The refurb should just use proper robust materials and the. Greenwich needs to service them properly. Better things to spend money on than staff in these lifts.
It’s absurd to even consider the expense of manned lifts. We just need lifts that work, it’s really not rocket science. A contact should be placed with the lift company that guarantees as certain level of lift uptime and liquidated damages if they fail to meet it.