Dawlish News
The campaign, which boasts cross-party and multi-industry support, calls on the Government to fund the long-awaited A303 gateway to the South West and underwrite a series of improvements to the railways that make trains serving the region quicker, more reliable and more comfortable.
The parlous state of the region’s transport network – underlined by the mainline at Dawlish in Devon being reduced to a “Peruvian rope bridge” after this year’s storms, and repeated delays on the vital tourism route around Stonehenge – is blamed for holding back the South West economy.
The Western Morning News Is campaigning for a Alternative route avoiding Dawlish. I think that the WMN Is printed In Plymouth.
It is reasonable for anyone in Plymouth and beyond to want a reliable rail service of some sort, why cant the Dawlish line remain and have an alternative in place if it all happens again..which if sea levels are getting higher surely it will, not rocket science is it...
@Wondering. Yes I agree. But it should be additional, not alternative. In other words if the coastal route has engineering works or rough weather, then use the additional route. By the way, when Dawlish,etc.etc.was not getting any trains, Plymouth was getting FULL train service, with some delays.
I think South West Trains should take the line, I have lost count of the times FGW staff have not collected fares, like when 50 plus standing...two carriages at 5pm this Tuesday.
the revenue collected is nothing like what it should be..that has to be part the reason why they think at HQ more carriages are not needed.. There could always be Dawlish Parkway!
However the Network Rail report states that an alternative route would not only be ridiculously expensive and present all sorts of logistical nightmares due to, ironically, floodplains, but would also increase the journey times to Plymouth and beyond anyway! Note before you try to shoot me down, it's their report, not mine.
Wondering you are so right about the ridiculous lack of rolling stock - that's where the investment should be made, not on pandering to the Plymouth lot.
Caught the 17.22 back to Dawlish from Exeter Central yesterday. Rush hour going home time right? Two carriages on. Reminded me of the London underground at rush hour. Thought to myself why only two carriages? Then thought, rather cynically, because two carriages cost less than three or four but can still carry the same amount of people albeit many of them having to stand.
And most people would have paid, have to if you get on at Exeter Central or Exeter St. David's as there are ticket barriers at both stations. Not so sure about those who got on at Exeter St. Thomas, Starcross and Dawlish Warren though.
@Judith Chalmers. If the alternative route is so expensive, and i dont doubt that it is, then why are Plymouth MP`S keep carrying on about it. They had a meeting last week and they turned up as well as Ann Marie Morris and Cross Country representive representing TOC`S they are also inviting the secretary of state for transport down to the area. If they just raise the seawall a bit more then that could solve a lot of problems. @Lynne. Yes I agree that 2 coaches are not enough at that time but people have complaining for a long while and still 2 coaches are put on. But i do have sympathy with you.
Tavistock is planned to link with Bere Regis and Plymouth so why not bring back Okehampton too. Easy then by rail to Tavistock and to North Corneall. Two different choices to Plymouth has to be sense.
As you say higher the wall would solve it ..if it was, then all would moan because you cant see the sea now ..there's no pleasing Dawlish you know!
Alison Seabeck, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, is angry the Government has yet to reveal how it plans to avoid the mainline at Dawlish in Devon collapsing into the sea again.
@ZIGGY. What you must remember is that the WMN want an additional/alternative route and Alison Seabeck is a Plymouth labour MP. One of the "Plymouth mob" as I nickname them. and what I would like to know is what has Plymouth got to do with Dawlish? they were getting there full public transport system, including trains and Dawlish was not getting any trains. I heard on TV that there is a public consultation period until Friday January 9th.2015, and the announcement is to be made in April next year. I just wonder what Anne Marie Morris (MP for Newton Abbot, which includes Dawlish) Is doing about this. She only has a 543 majority so she must be doing something.
What Plymouth has to do with Dawlish is ...it has to hope the line wont fall in the sea again for trains to get there!!!
How did Plymouth get a 'full train' service when trains from Exeter could not get there?
@Wondering.They started from Newton Abbot. And you could get a coach to Exeter St. Davids and to Tiverton. Thats how!!!!.