Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the phase 5 rail resilience programme in the context of water levels in 2026.

We remain committed to concluding the works necessary on this route to mitigate the remaining risks identified in the Southwest Rail Resilience Programme.

Network Rail is commencing work on a drainage trial, removing water from a section of the cliffs between Parsons Tunnel and Teignmouth. This trial, along with further ground investigation work, will provide detailed data to inform consideration of a proposal for a long-term solution in due course.

Despite the intensity of recent weather, the railway was only closed during the storms themselves, and the impact on the area covered by Phase 5 of the Programme did not affect the availability of the line.