Defending Dawlish

Those of us who have been watching the Dawlish Beach Cam on YouTube will know that the new works appear all but complete.

The next time the reinstatement of the northern route via Tavistock is raised, we should take claims that a breach of the line represents a potential estimated business loss of £20 million per day with a pinch of salt.

Were it not for the dualling of the A38, such a loss might be true, but much of the little freight that

goes via Dawlish could be shipped via Fowey (for the china clay) and via Exmouth Quay. The £20m figure should not be relied upon in any cost:benefit analysis.

However, the savings obtained by abandoning the existing southern route might be part of any calculation for justifying the recovery of the northern route or building a faster and more direct route entirely.

Thomas Carr, Norwich