A public walkway at West Bay Harbour is to be temporarily closed by Dorset Council for safety reasons, preventing access to public conveniences.
A western section of wall at the harbourside – just in front of the concession stands between the Harbour Master’s office and the Ellipse building – has been monitored by Dorset Council safety officers for some time now.
We’ve noticed increased structural movement since it was last inspected a few weeks ago. Officers are concerned about the stability of the wall and ultimately the safety of people using the walkway.
The public walkway behind the wall is the main thoroughfare to the public toilets around the harbour area. Officers have met this week and, in consultation with the Harbour Master, have come up with a short-term plan to manage the situation.
The affected area will be barriered-off, preventing access along the walkway, including to The Mound toilets next to the Harbour Master’s office.
The Mound toilets will be closed while access to the walkway has been shut off. Other toilets can be found nearby at East Beach and the Visitors Centre. Alternative temporary toilet arrangements are being considered by Council surveyors.
Access to roads, parking, local businesses and food and drink stands in the area is unaffected.
Dorset Council officers have already begun developing a plan to repair the wall as engineers consider how to make the walkway safe for pedestrians in the future. The walkway will not remain closed any longer than it has to be, and as soon as we have a date for works to commence, we will inform everyone.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.
My wife and I are frequent visitors to West Bay and have always been concerned regarding the pedestrian walk way around the inner harbour especially the west corner fronting the concession stands, now being reviewed by the council officers regarding the stability of that walking area, Our concern is the safety of pedestrians or what ever from accidently ending up either in the harbour or falling onto a floating craft. Our understanding is that where pedestrian’s are allowed to have access and there is a risk of an incident, such as, in this case, unavoidingly ending up in the harbour, that there is a requirement for a barrier of 1.1 metre high to help prevent such happenings. There is evidence that this is not so in other surrounding parts of the inner harbour. We have mentioned this to the Harbour Master who did not appear to be greatly concerned. Here’s hoping those officers deciding on the safety for pedestrian’s on this occasion will take the required safety regulations into consideration. The consideration for temporary toilets in that west corner area would be most welcome.