Dawlish Devon - Storm Disaster

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MD – Dawlish Devon – Storm Disaster 4th / 5th February 2014.

Some Devon people said “ One day it will happen”.

The storm that visited the county of Devon on the night of the 4th February 2014, caused widespread damage. Firstly, our thoughts go out to those people, who had their homes damaged as the storm progressed it’s way along the south coast.

The vital rail link from the west of Devon, and Cornwall, was severed by the sea at Dawlish. Initial reports indicate, that the link might not be re-stored for weeks, possibly months, causing major disruption in travel from the South West, to the rest of Britain. It would seem unfair, bearing in mind that such event may happen at any time, that provisions have not been planned, let alone constructed, to provide an alternative rail route, which could have avoided the situation. With the closure of Plymouth Airport, and limited air services from Newquay, puts a great strain on an already stretched road network. It would seem, that the South West, is of low priority by central government.
Good travel links, are extremely important for the future of Devon, and it’s sister county of Cornwall, for tourism and business and private travel development. It is therefore, that this disaster, will prompt minds to relise, there is life outside the south east of England.

A thousand years or so ago, King Richard I, “The Lionheart”, quickly learned, that expensive foreign crusages, while neglecting his homeland, proved costly.

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Rail link at Dawlish, back in action today.

Congratulations to Network Rail.