Little London lifts back in action

12.00.00am GMT Mon 20th Mar 2006

A Little London tower block has finally got its lifts back in use after a major facelift. Residents in Carlton Croft have been without their normal lift service for months after a deluge of safety complaints led ALMO chiefs to take action. A resident's campaign fronted by local Cllr Penny Ewens helped persuade housing bosses that a major overhaul was needed. Now both lifts are back in business, safer, stopping on all floors and twice as fast as before. Cllr Linda Rhodes-Clayton was present when contractors reopened the lifts.

Cllr Rhodes Clayton (Lib Dem, Hyde Park & Woodhouse) said, 'It's been a long wait for local residents who have been limited to using one lift during the refurbishments, but now they have top of the range facilities to use. Having investigated the site I'm pleased to report that the improvements are going to make peoples lives a lot easier, particularly those elderly and disabled residents who rely on the service so heavily.'

Notes to the Editor:

1. The lifts now operate on a new 'duplex' system which means both lifts stop on all floors unlike the previous system (every other floor) and are programmed to return to the ground floor at the end of each journey for easier access.

2. The lifts have been made wheelchair compatible and an alarm has been fitted on the ground floor. In a specific response to residents' complaints the lifts have been made shudder proof and will also be redecorated as part of the scheme.

3. Now the work at Carlton Croft is nearing completion work will begin on neighbouring tower blocks Carlton Garth and Carlton Close

4. Cllr Ewens ensured that grab bars were fitted in the lifts as a temporary measure last January. Cllr Ewens was presented with a petition signed by many of the sheltered accommodation's elderly inhabitants expressing concerns that the lifts were in a hazardous state. Cllr Ewens took the matter to the Council's Scrutiny Board after inspecting the lifts for herself, insisting that the problem be looked at and action taken.

5. The attached jpegs show Cllr Penny Ewens with the grab bars fitted last January and a picture of Cllr Linda Rhodes-Clayton.

The views in this Press Release are those of the Liberal Democrat Council Group, and not necessarily those of Leeds City Council, its Officers or of the Liberal Democrat Party.