Works on the Woolwich Foot Tunnel, a Grade II listed landmark in the heart of our borough, will begin imminently, ensuring a reliable step-free crossing in Woolwich.
The tunnel, which is over 100 years old, will undergo repairs to its North Lift until Autumn 2026 before works on the South Lift commence later this year.
Councillor Calum O’Byrne Mulligan, Cabinet Member for Transport, Climate Change, Waste and Streets, said: “This vital maintenance for the North Lift of our iconic Woolwich Foot Tunnel will ensure a reliable step free crossing in Woolwich. We're sorry that this has taken longer than we and residents had hoped, but the repairs required the manufacturing of bespoke parts for the 100-year-old lifts and a fair and equal agreement on funding with our colleagues at Newham, with whom we’ve worked productively.
"To secure the long term future of the Tunnel we’ve also convened a joint working group with Newham and Tower Hamlets that is working on the full regeneration of the Greenwich and Woolwich Foot Tunnels, which we hope will ensure reliable step-free access through both tunnels for generations to come, while protecting the incredible heritage features of both landmarks."
The total cost of the maintenance is £217,000, which will be split equally between Royal Greenwich and Newham.
We’ll try to keep the tunnel open as much as possible while repairs are taking place. On occasion, we may need to close the tunnel to facilitate the works, and we’ll direct users to alternative routes when this is the case, such as the Woolwich Ferry which is free to pedestrians.
We apologise for any inconvenience the works may cause, and we’d like to express our gratitude once again to residents for their patience while we complete these vital repairs.