Key Points
- The Greenwich Foot Tunnel lifts have a long history of unreliability, with the north lift out of action since June 2025 and the south lift intermittently breaking down.
- Andreas Nikolaou, a commuter and user of the tunnel, created a community-powered web app (greenwichlifts.co.uk) to provide real-time updates on the lifts’ operational status.
- The app allows users to register and report lift status to help fellow walkers, cyclists, and disabled users plan their journeys better.
- Greenwich Council is responsible for the maintenance of the tunnel, which is over 113 years old and Grade II listed, requiring specialist upkeep.
- The council has acknowledged lift issues, attributing them to aging equipment and bespoke parts needing time for repair and replacement.
- The council was unable to provide a definite repair date for the north lift or comment on replacement discussions.
- A dispute between Greenwich and Tower Hamlets councils persists regarding cycling in the tunnel, including potential fines.
- Alternatives to the tunnel include the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Woolwich Ferry, with free travel offered on some routes during closures.
- The tunnel’s long-standing issues impact elderly, disabled, wheelchair users, and others who rely on the lifts, necessitating innovative solutions like the app.
What is the story behind the Greenwich Foot Tunnel lift issues and app creation?
The Greenwich Foot Tunnel, a historic crossing beneath the River Thames connecting Cutty Sark Gardens in Greenwich with Island Gardens in Tower Hamlets, has experienced persistent lift problems for many years. A botched refurbishment over a decade ago led to ongoing lift unreliability. The north lift has been out of service since 30 June 2025, and while the south lift is functional, it suffers intermittent breakdowns affecting thousands of daily users, including elderly, disabled persons, cyclists, and those with pushchairs.
Faced with the frustrating lack of up-to-date information on lift status, Andreas Nikolaou, a regular commuter through the tunnel with his bike, took matters into his own hands. As Andreas told The Greenwich Wire, “The council website is great for long-term announcements but it’s not reactive to sudden outages to help users plan their journey. This is the gap I’m trying to fill with my solution.”
His solution was to create a free, community-powered web app accessible at greenwichlifts.co.uk. Users of the app can register quickly and report the operational status of each lift as they pass through, providing real-time data for others. This peer-to-peer alert system aims to mitigate the uncertainty and difficulties caused by lift outages.
How has Greenwich Council responded to the lift problems?
In a statement to The Greenwich Wire, a spokesperson for Greenwich Council acknowledged the age and maintenance challenges of the Grade II listed tunnel. “The Grade II listed Greenwich Foot Tunnel is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The structure is over 100 years old and requires specialist maintenance,” the spokesperson said.
The statement continued: “We’re sorry there have been issues with the lifts, and the disruption this has caused, as lifts age their performance naturally worsens. Because the parts are specially made, ordering them and installing them takes time but we have secured what we need at best value and will be carrying out repairs.”
Despite repeated enquiries, the council did not provide a timeline for the repair of the north lift or details about potential lift replacements at Greenwich or the Woolwich Foot Tunnel, which has similar long-standing problems, including one lift being broken for three years.
What repercussions have the lift issues had on tunnel users?
The shutdown of the north lift since the summer, coupled with the unreliable south lift, has made crossing the tunnel challenging for many. Elderly and disabled users, in particular, have struggled with the stairs due to lift outages.
Cyclists like Andreas Nikolaou have been especially impacted, as the lifts are crucial to carrying bikes up and down. The tunnel has experienced friction over cycling rights, with proposals for substantial fines on cyclists riding through. According to reports from Greenwich Wire, discussions between Greenwich and Tower Hamlets councils aim to address this ongoing issue but have yet to reach a resolution.
Alternative crossings are suggested during lift outages, including use of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) between Greenwich and Island Gardens, or the Woolwich Ferry across the river. The councils have offered free travel on these routes for a year to help reduce disruption. However, wheelchair users and others reliant on the lifts continue to face significant challenges.
How does the new app improve the situation for the community?
The web app greenwichlifts.co.uk, created by Andreas Nikolaou, empowers the community to share live updates on the tunnel’s lifts. On the Reddit forum r/london, the developer explained that the app was designed “to help our community monitor lifts in Greenwich Foot” given the frequent unexpected malfunctions.
Users can check if the lifts are operational, report any problems with a single click, and access a history log of recent performance. The more users participate, the more reliable the information becomes, providing a vital tool for the many who depend on the tunnel daily.
This community-driven initiative fills the gap left by official updates, which tend to be slow and poorly reactive to sudden outages. It offers a practical, real-time solution that could ease journeys for wheelchair users, parents with pushchairs, cyclists, and others with mobility challenges.
What is the status of the Woolwich Foot Tunnel and how does it relate?
The Woolwich Foot Tunnel, a sister crossing to Greenwich’s, experiences similar issues. As of August 2025, one of its lifts has been out of service for nearly three years while parts for the other are awaited. This long delay has frustrated users and councils alike.
Both Greenwich and Woolwich tunnels are owned by separate councils on either side of the Thames, complicating maintenance and repair efforts. According to reports from the Royal Greenwich Council, ongoing discussions aim to find unified approaches to the tunnels’ future, though no immediate solutions are in sight.
What measures are suggested to users and the public?
According to official guidance from Greenwich Council, addressing the tunnel’s lift problems also requires proper use. The council advises users not to:
- Force doors open
- Jam lift doors
- Exceed the lift capacity
- Repeatedly press buttons
Users are encouraged to report any problems immediately through the council’s contact points and emergency help points in the tunnels, available 24 hours a day.
