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Written question asked by Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 26 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 28 January 2026. It was answered by Keir Mather (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.


Storms: Devon

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the recent damage to the Dawlish sea wall and related coastal infrastructure in Devon caused by Storm Ingrid and other severe weather events; and what plans her Department has to support long-term coastal resilience improvements for that infrastructure.

Answer

The £165 million of investment into storm resilience around Dawlish after storms in 2014 has significantly improved resilience in this area. Despite the frequency of recent storms and their intensity, the works done since 2014 held up well and there were only two areas of damage, one a low wall between the coastal path and the railway, and the other a small breach some distance from the line, both of which have been made safe. The railway was not closed for long other than during the storms themselves, and held up remarkably well, a tribute to the works done since 2014. Nevertheless, Network Rail will continue to plan for similar events and pursue actions to keep the railway running reliably.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
108386
Session
2024-26
Related items
Storms: Devon
Wednesday, 4 March 2026
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Damage Devon Infrastructure Repairs and maintenance Storms
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk