£31.1 million for rail resilience will be found

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has today confirmed that the £31.1m promised to improve the resilience of the South West’s rail network will be found.

Ten projects to improve the rail networks resilience against flooding will be funded with the money including for work in Honiton, Cowley Bridge Junction, Crewkerne and several other areas of rail vulnerable to potential flooding.

The money for the series of rail resilience works was initially promised last year after the2012/13 winter storms caused flooding which saw the tracks close for several weeks but had not been received by local authorities.

Calling on Mr Cameron in commons today, Gary Streeter Conservative MP for Devon South West asked the Prime Minister: “Will he commit to finding a long term solution to rail resilience for the South West. But would he also join me today in sending a very clear signal that the despite our current problems Devon and Cornwall is firmly open for business.”

Mr Cameron responded: “My honourable friend is absolutely right that message needs to go out loud and clear. Businesses including tourist businesses in Cornwall and Devon want to see people’s custom and want them to know that Devon and Cornwall are very much open for Business.

“In terms of the specific question he asked, we are finding £31 million to fund 10 rail resilience projects in the South West to improve resilience for flooding. This will include work at Cowley Bridge Junction, Chipping Sodbury, Hinksey, White Wall tunnel and a number of other places including Honiton and Crewkerne.

“Clearly the most important thing is that the Dawlish rail link, which I saw for myself yesterday. The intense damage done to the track and the huge destruction that was wrought by waves that will take up to six weeks.

“I know Network Rail are working as hard as they can and i’ve said to them that any help the need, they need only ask.”

Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, Alsion Seabeck welcomed the pledge but said it was not-enough.

Ms Seabeck also said that people in the South West were “angry” over the ongoing costs of HS2 when their own railway was not up to standard.

Alison Seabeck said: “Conditions outside are dreadful, the voluntary sector, the emergency services and individuals have been amazing but people and businesses are angry.

“In the South West, in my region, they are angry because of the excessive cost they see of High Speed 2 when we have the whole of the Westcountry without a resilient rail network.

“The money announced, re-announced, today is welcome but not enough. Will you commit in the medium term to ensure support for growth and recovery in the region, that Plymouth is put onto the strategic road and transport network.”

Mr Cameron replied: “I totally understand your concern and the concern of your constituents. I don’t want anyone to be under the misapprehension that HS2 is going to be built at the expense of the west country – it isn’t.

“In the next Parliament, we will spend three times more on other road and rail schemes as we will spend on HS2 and some of those schemes will directly benefit people in the Westcountry.

“Second point, while we are working as fast as we can to restore the Dawlish link, we do need to look at longer term alternatives – and I have discussed this with Network Rail and First Great Western – to see what more can be done.

“Third point, while Dawlish is as it is, we need to go on boosting air services to the peninsula, which is why I met with Flybe in Newquay, and they have doubled the number of flights and taken £5 off the cost of each of those flights.

“We also need to make sure cost of those replacement bus services are as good as they can be. If we do all of those things, that will lessen the impact of this tragedy for the Westcountry.”