LIFTS installed on council housing estates in London’s East End are being fitted with telephone links in case they break down. Old lifts are being fitted with notices displaying a new emergency number to call, while recently-installed lifts are to have a direct line to a call centre
LIFTS installed on council housing estates in London’s East End are being fitted with telephone links in case they break down.
All 338 lifts on estates run by Tower Hamlets Homes are being fitted with notices displaying a new emergency number to call if the lift gets stuck, while recently-installed lifts are to have a direct line to a call centre.
The move is prompted by the London Fire Brigade announcing last month that it is to charge local authorities and other property owners for call-outs to rogue’ lifts that regularly break down.
The council’s Lead member for Housing, Marc Francis, said: “We’ve started replacing old lifts in residential blocks that kept breaking down and will continue to install more new ones as the funding becomes available. Our aim is to have as few trappings as possible.”
The council has signed up new contractors to carry out rescues who have been given a two-hour limit to arrive on site.
That compares to the Fire Brigade turning up within minutes of a 999 emergency call.
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