Rail line repairs start soon

REPAIRS to protect the vulnerable coastal railway line at Dawlish will begin next month.

Repairs to four breakwaters, which protect the coast from the force of waves in a project expected to take six months. World leading engineers in coastal, tunnel, cliff and railway engineering will carry out the work.

Network Rail says that protecting the route through Dawlish is a national priority and these immediate short-term improvements will be made while it continues with the £15m detailed development of longer term options for government to consider.

The breakwaters that require repair are at Boat Cove, Coastguards Point, Colonnade Underpass and Langstone Rock.

Along with the breakwater repairs by BAM Nuttall, Arcadis, another leading engineering company, will continue to investigate whether loose material from the top of the cliff above Parsons Tunnel at Holcombe could be removed to stabilise the cliff and reduce the risk of land slips in the short-term.

Network Rail has now established a dedicated South West Rail Resilience Programme to find ways to protect the iconic railway line. In 2014 the line was closed for eight weeks after extreme weather washed away the seawall.

Mike Gallop of Network Rail said: “This section of the railway is vital for many residents and communities in Devon and Cornwall and we are committed to safeguarding it for future generations.

Community drop-in events will be held on November 7 at Teignmouth Library from 4pm to 7pm and on November 15 at Holcombe Village Hall from 4pm to 7pm.

Taking the first steps along the rebuilt A379