AUSTRALIA'S iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge is rusting as the world's most relentless paint job fails to keep up.

Despite raising $84.785 million in toll revenue in the past financial year, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) admitted large sections of the bridge were rusting and in need of a paint job, The Daily Telegraph reports.

While the bridge's safety and integrity was not at risk, the RTA said a section of the 503m arch span overlooking Sydney’s popular amusement park, Luna Park, needed a makeover.

"There is some flaking and minor surface rusting on the northwestern side of the bridge, where paint has broken down due to environmental exposure," an RTA spokesman said after seeing photos taken by The Daily Telegraph.

The government said it spends about $15 million a year on routine maintenance of Sydney Harbour Bridge's structure alone and, yes, the paint job continues.

About 485,000sq m of steelwork - the equivalent of 60 football fields - needs to be painted.

It takes 30,000l of paint for just one coat of the Harbour Bridge.

"Surface rusting is expected in the normal life cycle of painted steel bridges in harsh marine environments," the RTA spokesman said.

"Regular repainting is an essential and ongoing part of the Sydney Harbour Bridge maintenance program."

But industry experts blasted the Government for failing to properly maintain the Harbour Bridge.

"I suppose it is just another indication of the lack of infrastructure spending in this state," New South Wales Civil Contractors Federation boss David Elliott said.

"If we can't get something as simple as the Harbour Bridge right, how are we going to get other projects right."

A painting expert, who did not wish to be named, said there was clearly a breakdown in the Harbour Bridge's coatings, especially around the bolt heads, which indicated water was seeping in.

"Such breakdown should be treated as soon as possible, given the exposure to extreme elements," he said. "The longer it is left in this state the structural integrity of the Bridge may be compromised."

Opposition roads spokesman Andrew Stoner said taxpayers deserved better than this.

"Millions of dollars are spent on fireworks each year to showcase the Bridge, but misguided priorities from State Labor means Sydney's much-loved coathanger has gone without," he said.

The bridge is maintained by a team of almost 100 RTA workers, most at the site full-time.

The RTA said it has scheduled work to repaint the rusted section of the Bridge "within coming weeks", weather permitting.



