Rusty railings still fit for purpose — council

The railings on the St Clair sea wall fence have become noticeably rusty, but are still fit for purpose, the Dunedin City Council says.

After the state of the railings was highlighted by a reader, The Star visited St Clair to take a look.

In response to our questions about whether the rusty railings were a problem and whether they would be painted or replaced, a DCC spokesperson said ‘‘we agree the rust on these railings is quite noticeable, due to the particularly harsh and corrosive conditions the Esplanade is subjected to’’.

However, there are no immediate plans to renovate or replace them.

‘‘Our team works hard to make sure the seawall and railing is regularly inspected and maintained to ensure it remains structurally sound, and this work will continue,’’ the spokesperson said.

‘‘We do not replace these assets for aesthetic reasons only. Our focus is on ensuring the most efficient use of ratepayers’ money, and the railings will be renewed when it is determined they are no longer fit for purpose.’’

In addition, the council was not planning any more work to install additional geobags [sand sausages] in the area at this stage, but those already in place would be maintained, the spokesperson said.

The geobags were a temporary measure designed to help protect the area until longer-term options as part of the St Clair — St Kilda coastal plan were processed, they said.