Southport Pier decking ‘rotting from within’ with repairs due on full 3,635ft length of UK’s second longest pier

Some decking along Southport Pier is “rotting from within” says Sefton Council, leading to the local authority committing £3million to repairing the 162-year-old Grade II Listed landmark. 

Officers added that this means that the issues are often “only detected when a timber piece snaps, causing a health and safety risk”. 

A report due before Sefton’s Cabinet will recommend work starting this October, after the end of the summer season, with contractors replacing timers along the entire 1,108m (3,635 ft) length of the second-longest in the UK, after Southend Pier. The landmark attraction has been open since 1860. 

Concerns over the Pier have led to the suspension of the pier train, along with daily inspections and ongoing reactive works with two contractors on site. 

The new planks being installed will be thicker than the ones currently on site. 

In his report to Cabinet, Sefton Council Executive Director (Place) Stephen Watson wrote: “It is proposed that the Pier decking now needs to be replaced in its entirety due to its current condition. 

“Some decking is rotting from within, meaning it is only detected when a timber piece snaps. This causes a health and safety risk. 

“A specialist timber expert was commissioned to devise a programme of works and the specification of timber for bays 1-6. In May 2022 it was agreed to undertake phase 1 of the deck replacement at a cost of £206,000, met from the Pier contingency fund. 

“Phase 1 will see the replacement of bays 1-6 (Phase 1) – the Pier consists of 68 bays with works on site and due for completion in October 2022, and the Pier will remain open while these works take place. 

“However, since approval to commence phase 1 works there has been a slight increase in defective decking boards, therefore Exova (TRADA) were commissioned to undertake a further detailed deck condition survey. The 2022 Exova (TRADA) report has identified that about 6% of the deck boards need to be replaced. 

“Much of the decay is hidden within the cross section of the boards; therefore, it is not possible to identify which boards are decayed from a visual assessment alone. Variation in the durability of ekki and the 22 years’ of service life as of June 2022 is consistent with some boards reaching the end of their service life before the 30 years. 

“Overall, it is recommended that a comprehensive decking replacement programme is undertaken.

“The current pier concession (which included the train) was instructed by the Council on 1st July to cease the train with immediate effect due its impact on the current decking. 

“Further mitigation measures have been put in place for the summer season that include a daily inspection regime, ongoing reactive works with two contractors on site undertaking repairs, and additional signage.

“The mitigation measures have also been supported by weekly governance meetings involving several Sefton officers, including officers from Health and Safety to ensure ongoing visibility and certainty, with a focus on health and safety for all Pier users as well as on the impacts on the concessionaire.” 

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