Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the (1) scope, and (2) cost, of Phases (a) 4, and (b) 5, of the works to protect the Dawlish area rail line from flooding; what is the reason for the delay in proceeding with them; whether funding for Phase 5 will be withheld; and if so, on what basis.

I can confirm that Network Rail has delivered the first two phases of the South West Rail Resilience Programme to provide protection to the railway at Dawlish from coastal flooding. Subsequent phases of the programme relate to cliff protection measures. The third phase is currently in delivery, and a fourth phase covering the railway between Dawlish and Holcombe has funding of £32m and will shortly commence. The fifth and final phase of the programme will address the mile-long section of the railway between Teignmouth and Parson’s Tunnel. Network Rail is developing a detailed scope, cost and a risk-based delivery proposal.