Petition now live!



The petition to get the Government to reverse its pause of the Phase 5 cliff works of the South West Rail Resilience Programme is now live - and you can sign it at https://www.change.org/SaveOurRailway We need as many people as possible to sign it and share it.

Having lived and worked in Cornwall for 20 years, I have seen first-hand the impact of disruptions to our vital railway connections. In 2014, a major rockfall and the breach of the sea wall near Dawlish forced the closure of the railway. For two months, our region suffered tremendously, with the South West economy losing approximately £20 million per day—or £27 million when adjusted for inflation. The South West Rail Resilience Programme is essential to preventing similar catastrophes in the future.

The route is the only railway connecting South Devon, Torbay, Plymouth, and all of Cornwall to the national rail network, and it plays an immeasurable role in our region’s economy and daily life. This railway is not merely a transportation link; it's a lifeline for employment, education, healthcare, and leisure for residents across South West England.

Currently, Phase 5 of the South West Rail Resilience Programme, focused on vital cliff strengthening between Dawlish and Teignmouth, is paused. This phase is crucial for fortifying our railway infrastructure against potential rockfalls, ensuring safe and uninterrupted connectivity for thousands of residents, businesses, and tourists who rely on this line daily.

The Government must recognise the urgency and importance of completing this resilience programme. Reviving and completing Phase 5 will not only safeguard economic stability in South West England but will also protect our communities from repeated disruptions.

We urge the Government to unpause and prioritise completion of the South West Rail Resilience Programme, ensuring that our precious railway infrastructure remains robust against extreme weather events.

Twenty years ago, I led the campaign which saved the London to Penzance ‘Night Riviera’ sleeper train from closure, and thousands of people signed petitions, wrote to their MPs and made the case for the train’s retention - so we know that if we speak with one strong voice we can make a real difference. This campaign is more important still - those cliffs are a sandstone Sword of Damocles hanging over our beautiful but fragile railway. That is why we must make an irresistible case to Government to reinstate the resilience works, because until they are completed, that threat looms over this umbilical cord linking the region with the outside world.

Please sign this petition to call for the completion of this essential project and to help secure the future of the South West railway network.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Press Release: Dawlish petition gains hundreds of signatures

 A petition launched by Modern Railways Deputy Editor and rail campaigner Andy Bowes-Roden to get the Government to reinstate Phase 5 cliff works of the South West Rail Resilience Programme between Dawlish and Teignmouth has secured almost 350 signatures in just four days. The Government announced it was pausing strengthening the cliffs near Teignmouth, Devon, in July with funding to be spent elsewhere, but Mr Bowes-Roden – who led the successful campaign to save the ‘Night Riviera’ sleeper train from closure in 2005 - says the works must be completed. “These cliffs were identified as by far the biggest geotechnical risk to the railway by Network Rail in 2014 after 20,000 tonnes of rock fell onto the railway, closing it for two months - and they remain so. Until these vital works are completed, those cliffs are a sandstone Sword of Damocles hanging over our beautiful but fragile railway. Should they fall again, a huge area of the country will lose its only rail link for weeks ...
Read more