The Government has today announced a package of £2 billion to be spent on transport infrastructure across the South West.
This will specifically impact Plymouth in terms of £80 million to build a new sea wall at Dawlish along the railway line, funding for the re-development of Plymouth Station and £23 million for a new link road at Forder Valley which will impact residents from across the city.
I believe this is very good news and am pleased the Government has given this much-needed finance to the city to ensure we can continue to see productivity increase, tourism thrive, and local people able to live their daily lives with more reliable ease. The work has been planned after extensive research has taken place to ensure the solution will actually help with the problem.
Having worked alongside colleagues in Devon and Cornwall who have been working to see this funding realised, I know what a massive effort has been made to ensure the Government realised the need for this money. I'd like to congratulate the cross-party group of MPs who have been working specifically on the Dawlish fix since the floods in 2014.
Plymouth City Council have also been working for several years to submit the case for funding for the railway station redevelopment and the Forder Valley link road - under both political administrations - and should be congratulated for making the strong cases resulting in this investment.
In terms of the Dawlish seawall work, it is going to look like this. Upgrades to the sea wall will increase its height by 2.5 metres and include wave returns to reduce the impact of waves and the likelihood of the line being closed during adverse weather. This will help ensure the serious damage and disruption seen during storms in 2014 is not repeated.
The improvements at Dawlish are part of an extensive programme of investment in the south-west to transform connectivity throughout the region, outlined in the Investing in the South West Report below. This includes schemes totalling more than £2 billion, improving the strategic road network, high-speed direct bus connectivity, safe and continuous cycle routes and easier transfer between transport modes.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:
"We cannot allow the disruption and damage endured by Dawlish and the south-west to happen again. This significant investment demonstrates our cast-iron commitment to delivering a resilient and safe railway, giving passengers, businesses and residents confidence in a reliable service.
"With up to £80 million of funding available to create a rigorous set of defences, this new sea wall will help protect this vital route, building on our ambitious plans to grow this region’s economy and prosperity through stronger transport connections."
Work on the new sea wall will begin in the spring and is expected to be complete by 2021. The government has already provided £15 million for Network Rail to design a long-lasting solution to this problem, in addition to the £40 million spent by Network Rail to repair the damage caused in the 2014 storm.
Building on detailed geological surveys, Network Rail is continuing to develop solutions for the cliffs along the coast immediately north-east of Teignmouth using the £15 million previously announced. This includes the development of an application for the necessary planning consent for work to maintain the cliffs and protect the railway.
