Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to make the rail line through Dawlish more resilient before the next Network Rail Control Period in 2019.

Network Rail iscurrently implementing a £31million package of schemes to improve the resilience of the Great Western route through the Thames Valley and the West of England.

Network Rail is also progressing an Exeter to Newton Abbot geo-environmental study exploring options for providing a more resilient rail route for the future. The work will produce a short-list of options for further strengthening of the existing railway from Control period 6 (2019-2024) and beyond.