Transport infrastructure in the South West Contents

2Wider strategy for transport in the South West of England

Developing an integrated transport strategy

26.In February 2019 the Department published Investing in the South West.47 We noted that the document was more a list of projects in the region rather than a strategy. The Department said that its publication was a good summary, drawing together the different investments in the region and had sought to paint a picture of how various investments taken together were trying to create a more integrated and better-connected region.48 But the Department acknowledged that the question of whether it was a strategy document was a different matter. It described its approach as being to support the region in delivering its own strategy rather than having a central government strategy about the region.49

27.The Department described how there were now two new sub-national transport bodies—Peninsula Transport and Western Gateway.50 It told us that Peninsula Transport covers Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, and that Western Gateway covers the West of England Combined Authority, Bath and North East Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset.51 The Department wrote to us after the evidence session confirming which local authorities, LEPs and other bodies such as Highways England, Network Rail and Homes England were members of each of the two sub-national bodies.52 The Department told us that the sub-national bodies will look at the economic vision for the area and help it to understand how transport can help support that economic vision. It considered that to be a better way of answering the strategic question, rather than having that come from Whitehall—“not us doing a strategy for the south-west, but us helping the south-west do its own strategy.”53 The Department also commented that the bodies were very new and still forming, less than a year old, and that it was expecting them to come to the Department with a proposal for funding and for a strategic planning process later in the year.54

28.The Department further explained that the two sub-national transport bodies were collections of elected members from across the region who could offer a pan-regional perspective about connectivity across the region to help make sure that better decisions are made.55 It said that Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) were generally constituent members of the bodies and that LEPs have unique expertise in understanding what the economic vision is for an area and what practical steps need to be taken to realise that vision. It considered that the sub-national bodies were the right way to bring that expertise together with transport expertise and come up with a plan that delivers both at the same time.56

Improving resilience at Dawlish

29.Autumn and winter 2013 and 2014 saw the wettest period in the south of England for 250 years and led to flooding and widespread disruption. In February 2014, severe flooding caused 100 metres of Network Rail’s sea wall at Dawlish to collapse into the sea leading to the closure of the mainline railway.57 In April 2014, after eight weeks of repairs, the train line re-opened.58

30.We asked about longer-term resilience, in particular the project to build a new sea wall at Dawlish, and whether work would carry on despite ongoing discussions between Teignbridge District Council and the town council about the height of the sea wall. The Department told us that it had announced £80 million of further funding for the project, that it understood contracts had been awarded and that the first phase of work was underway. It said that Network Rail had been working hard to ensure that stakeholder and local concerns about the height of the sea wall were being managed but that there was a balance to be struck between a sea wall that keeps the sea off the track and one that is no more visually intrusive than it needs to be for people who live in the area.59

31.The Department told us it understood that Network Rail was announcing a consultation about treatment of the cliffs around Teignmouth and would be addressing local concerns.60 Network Rail has now launched a public consultation on proposals to realign the railway line, which runs from 10 June to 15 July 2019.61

32.We asked about the status of other parts of the project in addition to the sea wall including the tunnels and the cliffs. The Department replied that the £80 million would not all be spent on the sea wall and that it understood that the cliffs would be addressed by £15 million of funding that was separate from and additional to the £80 million.62

33.The Department wrote to us after the evidence session providing further information, which included that: the first phase of work funded by the £80 million, to build a new sea wall at Dawlish, stretches from Boat Cove/Kennaway Tunnel to the Colonnades and will be completed in early 2020; the second phase will extend the sea wall from Colonnades to Coastguard’s Ramp, including Dawlish station, and will require local authority consent for any changes affecting the station, subject to which work is expected to start Spring 2020 and finish Spring 2021; and Network Rail is continuing to develop solutions for other elements of the South West Rail Resilience Programme, to be funded by the separate £15 million, including protection between the tunnels at Dawlish and from the cliffs at Teignmouth. The Department also stated that work between Teignmouth and Holcombe/Parsons Tunnel would require the submission of a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO), and that Network Rail was currently consulting local communities as part of developing the TWAO application, with a view to submitting it next year. Funding for delivery of these further elements of the Resilience Programme will also be subject to production of a robust business case.63

34.The report deals with the 8 projects along the A303/A358 corridor to improve the road connectivity into the South West. It therefore seems highly appropriate to consider other roads in other parts of the South West. The A417 is another important gateway into the South West because it links the M5 to the M4. The project would cut an HGV journey by up to half an hour when travelling between the M5 and M4. The Department assured us they are continuing with the preferred route consultation this summer and at the same time work will continue with the Development Consent Order process.64

35.Gross Domestic Product per capita is lower in the South West than the UK average. The most recent year that we have full data for is 2017 when the region accounted for 7.2% of total UK economic output but had 8.4% of the population. As a largely rural area, further investment in its connectivity is vital to ensure the region continues to attract business and jobs so that it can thrive.

47 Department for Transport, Investing in the South West, 15 February 2019

48 Qq 133, 134

49 Q 135

50 Q 136

51 Q 145

52 Letter from the Department for Transport, 11 June 2019

53 Q 135

54 Qq 144, 145

55 Q 136

56 Qq 141, 143

57 C&AG’s report, Strategic flood risk management, Session 2014–15, HC 780, 14 November 2014

58 Department for Transport, PM attends reopening of the Dawlish railway line, 4 April 2014