Colwyn Bay pier 'falling into the sea'

Jun 3 2010 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

Victoria Pier, Colwyn Bay

PIECES of Colwyn Bay’s crumbling cast iron pier are falling onto the beach raising fears it could kill a child or walker below.

Fresh criticism is now being directed at Conwy County Council who said in February a structural survey would be carried out within four to six weeks to assess the pier’s safety.

Fifteen weeks ago Conwy County Council’s acting chief executive, Ken Finch, who was then corporate director, said the survey was expected to be complete by mid-March. Now in June the pier’s former owner Steve Hunt, who still lives on the structure, claims he fears it’s likely somebody will be killed from falling debris.

“It is very likely somebody could be killed if one of the railings around the edge of the pier fell,” he said.

“They weigh more than one person could lift and if one fell from 35 feet it would kill somebody instantly,” he said.

“You have got an acre of iron over the beach with people walking under it every day, especially in the summer months, kids are using it as a giant climbing frame and clanging the bars about, it doesn’t bare thinking about. If somebody is killed the council will be culpable – they have a duty to make it safe. They’ve had reports for eight months saying it is a danger.

“I went to a pier pressure meeting and I was handed a big chunk of cast iron which had fallen onto the beach, if that had fallen onto somebody’s head it would have killed them.

“The survey commissioned I understood was going to be published in April, I have been trying to get a copy of the report so has the pier pressure group and so has our MP David Jones.”

“The pier deteriorates all the time, it is bound to after two years without maintenance.

“Once something falls off it makes another part weaker and it escalates- it’s a domino effect.”

It has now been two years since any repair or maintenance has been carried out on the creaking Victoria Pier which was built in 1900.

Trustees Royce Peeling Green (RPG) have not invested in the pier since former owner Steve Hunt was bankrupted in June 2008 and Conwy County Council stepped in to carry out an urgent safety assessment.

Gary Willetts is an independent construction consultant and secretary with the Pier Pressure Group, a voluntary committee set up to look after the pier’s interest.

“In the two years since the owner of the pier was made bankrupt the council has literally turned a blind eye to health and safety,” he said.

“There are parts in danger of falling off.

“They could fall today, tomorrow or in six months but they will fall off. The council are being negligent for not ensuring the safety.”

Clwyd-West MP and Welsh minister, David Jones said he hoped to get answers soon; “Obviously the structural survey is a matter of some importance and if it is deteriorating it makes it all the more important.

“What we do as a consequence is have a word and establish when the structural survey is gong to be available.”

Rod Wythenshawe is the managing director of trustees RPG: “At the moment I don’t think the structural survey has been completed, we are waiting for that as well as everybody else.

“But we will speak to the Pier Pressure Group to see what they are about and go from there.”

Conwy County Council were unable to comment on the matter.