Red-faced council chiefs have admitted the refurbished footway over Chester’s much loved suspension bridge will have to be redone because it is fast deteriorating.

There was much fanfare when the 1923 Queen’s Park suspension bridge was officially reopened in November 2012 after anti-slip surfacing was installed on the footway with the entire structure cleaned and repainted with decorative metalwork restored.

However, less than 15 months later, the plywood surface has become waterlogged causing the layers to separate and lift leading to a potential dispute between Cheshire West and Chester Council and its contractor.

The council want the contractor to put the matter right at no cost to council taxpayers and discussions are ongoing. Patching work may have to be carried out on areas of the anti-slip material considered a trip hazard. But there is no danger of anyone falling through because there are hardwood boards underneath.

Cheshire West and Chester Council spokeswoman Laura Johnson said: “We are aware of the untimely deterioration of the surface treatment on the suspension bridge and are currently in discussions with our contractor with regards to this issue.”

Gordon Emery, 60, a contractor who works on local authority footbridges, can’t believe plywood was used for such a purpose.

He said: “It’s like putting cardboard down as a road surface. It’s just nonsensical. I have never seen anyone use plywood as surfacing for decking. It was guaranteed to fail.”

Handbridge Park councillor Neil Sullivan hopes that when the reinstatement is carried out it will be possible to do the work in sections so the footway can be kept open. He said: “I am aware there are problems with the quality of the original work and we are trying to resolve it.”