Stormy weather has caused damage to the railway at Dawlish further up the line. The incredibly stormy seas that have hit the south west coast since the beginning of the week caused a section of the sea wall to collapse on the evening of 4th February. There was no danger to passengers as the railway was already closed because of bad weather, however initial assessments indicate that the line will take 6 weeks to repair.
George said: ‘This is extremely frustrating news for all rail passengers and I will be working with Cornwall Council and my South-West MP colleagues to make sure the railway line can be repaired as quickly as possible. This is a vital link for our area and I will do all I can to help.’
Train operating companies will be running a robust replacement bus services during this time to ensure that passengers can get to where they need to go. Questions about these services should be directed to the responsible train company. Passengers are advised to check national rail enquiries before they travel.
The Prime Minister released the following statement:
"My sympathy is with everyone affected by the ongoing storms which are causing misery to communities and businesses across the country. With power outages, more flooding and more bad weather forecast, I have chaired a COBRA this afternoon to ensure that everything that can be done to get stricken communities moving is being done: there are no restrictions on help. I have seen the shocking pictures of the destroyed train line in Dawlish and I am determined that while it is out of action, the public get a proper alternative service and a solution is found to fix it, as soon as possible. The government will continue to hold emergency COBRA meetings to ensure these problems are sorted out.”