A £50 million project to protect Devon's storm-battered railway line from future weather chaos has reached a crucial milestone, with Network Rail completing major cliff stabilisation work between Parsons Tunnel and Teignmouth.
The 1.8-kilometre stretch of track has been fitted with new rockfall shelters, reinforced seawalls and comprehensive cliff stabilisation measures. The work targets one of Britain's most vulnerable railway sections, where landslips and sea damage regularly threaten services linking Devon and Cornwall to the rest of the country.
The project's urgency became starkly apparent in February 2014 when devastating storms completely washed away the railway line at nearby Dawlish, cutting off rail links for two months. The closure stranded thousands of passengers and cost the region's economy millions of pounds as freight and passenger services ground to a halt.
Local businesses and residents have welcomed the progress, with many still remembering the isolation felt during the 2014 closure. The railway serves as a lifeline for communities across Devon and Cornwall, carrying both passengers and essential goods including food supplies and construction materials.
Network Rail's investment forms part of a wider national programme to climate-proof Britain's transport infrastructure. The south Devon coast faces increasing threats from rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events, making such resilience projects critical for maintaining connectivity between England's southwest peninsula and the rest of the country.