Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government on which occasions the rail services between Exeter and Newton Abbott have been disrupted by weather; and what progress has been made on making this stretch of line more resilient.

This an operational matter for Network Rail; the Department does not hold the information at the level of detail requested.

The Government has been absolutely clear that ongoing investment in the South West’s transport infrastructure is key to unlocking the region’s economy, jobs and prosperity.

Protecting the line at Dawlish is a national priority and we remain determined to find a permanent solution. £15m of funding has been made available to Network Rail to take forward to develop a solution. World-leading engineers have been carrying out detailed ground investigation to understand what is happening to the cliffs and coastline in three key areas around Dawlish and Teignmouth. These comprehensive studies are nearing completion, enabling Network Rail to show how they will take steps to protect the railway line and coastline.