South West Devon MP calls for urgent action after fresh storm damage at Dawlish

A South West Devon MP has raised urgent concerns after further storm damage at Dawlish caused the railway sea wall to collapse in two new locations over the weekend.

The damage followed Storm Ingrid, which led to disruption on the main rail line linking Devon and Cornwall with the rest of the country. 

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Further severe weather is forecast this week with the arrival of Storm Chandra.

Rebecca Smith, Conservative MP for South West Devon, warned that the latest damage once again highlights how vulnerable the coastal rail route remains during extreme weather.

“This line is not a luxury but a necessity for hundreds of thousands of people,” Ms Smith said. 

“It supports jobs, tourism, education and access to essential services across the South West.”

Following the major storms of 2014, the South West Rail Resilience Programme was created to protect the route. 

Under the previous Conservative government, £165 million was invested in the first four phases of the scheme, including rebuilding the Dawlish sea wall and strengthening nearby cliffs.

However, the final and most complex phase of the programme has since been paused, leaving parts of the route without long-term protection as severe weather events become more frequent.

Raising the issue in the House of Commons, Ms Smith asked the Chancellor and Treasury ministers whether contingency funding would be guaranteed for urgent and unplanned resilience works. 

This followed concerns about the lack of a dedicated Treasury emergency reserve.

In response, a minister referred to departmental contingency planning but did not give a clear guarantee that emergency funding would be available when needed.

Speaking afterwards, Ms Smith said the lack of certainty was worrying for the region.

“This railway is a lifeline for Devon and Cornwall,” she said. “The previous government recognised that and invested £165 million to strengthen and protect it.

“Pausing the final phase of resilience works is now having real-world consequences. Each storm brings disruption, uncertainty and economic damage to our communities.

“When extreme weather strikes, assurances about contingency planning are not enough. We need clear commitments to complete the resilience programme in full and guarantee funding for urgent works when they are needed.”

Ms Smith’s concerns come just days after The Moorlander reported renewed calls for alternative rail routes, including a reinstated inland line through Tavistock and north Dartmoor, following repeated disruption on the Dawlish coastal route.

Rail campaigners and MPs warned that relying on a single coastal line leaves the South West vulnerable to being cut off during storms, with some arguing that longer-term solutions must include both strengthening the sea wall and exploring inland options.

Ms Smith is now calling on the Government to urgently commit to completing the final phase of the Dawlish rail resilience scheme.

The MP also wants clarity provided on emergency funding arrangements, warning that without action, communities across Devon and Cornwall will continue to face repeated disruption during severe weather.