Woolwich Foot Tunnel’s broken lift will finally be repaired after two years out of service after Greenwich and Newham councils came to an agreement over paying for the works.

The lift on the North Woolwich side has been out of action since August 2022, and an argument briefly erupted between the two councils over paying for the works.

Work should be completed by January, Greenwich Council said.

Greenwich is responsible for maintenance, but the 112-year-old tunnel under the Thames is jointly owned by the two boroughs, with Newham paying half the costs.

Last month Greenwich’s deputy mayor, Averil Lekau, said she was “frustrated” that Newham was not releasing £180,000 to pay for the lift repairs. In turn, Newham said that it was “disappointed” in her remarks.

Lift doors, a dingy stairwell and a buggy
People with buggies have been unable to use the Woolwich Foot Tunnel for two years. Image: The Greenwich Wire

After The Greenwich Wire broke the story, it was followed by other news outlets, including the BBC, which ran the story on Sunday.

However, we can reveal that the two councils met last week and agreed a deal to get the lift repaired. 

A Greenwich spokesperson said: “Following a productive meeting with colleagues from Newham Council on July 31, we have reached an agreement to share costs. We are hoping to complete the works by January 2025.”  

Newham said: “We are pleased to be working in collaboration with the London Borough of Greenwich to repair the lift, we are currently finalising a funding agreement.”

The joint ownership of the Woolwich tunnel, along with its neighbour at Greenwich – which is shared with Tower Hamlets – has been a bone of contention for years.

Both tunnels were built by the London County Council for dock workers, but were handed to the boroughs when its successor, the Greater London Council, was abolished in 1986. 

Last week Newham warned that it was facing serious financial problems because of the cost of housing people in temporary accommodation, and said that it may need government assistance. 

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Updated on Friday at 4.20pm to include Newham statement.