Political pressure has intensified on the government to improve rail links with the South West after another storm caused train disruption.

Devon and Cornwall Labour MPs have joined forces to write to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander calling for action after the Dawlish line was closed due to storm damage last weekend and services disrupted due to heavy wind and rain over the past two weeks.

SW Devon MP Rebecca Smith (Con) added her voice in the Commons on (Tuesday) when she told the rail minister how vulnerable the main line to Devon and Cornwall was and how vital it was to the economy.

The increasing political pressure is added to that of the rail pressure group Tavi Rail which is calling for the Tavistock to Plymouth line (via Bere Alston) to be reinstated to add as an alternative line north of Dartmoor for use when the existing line is closed.

Rebecca said: “Over the weekend Storm Ingrid caused further collapses in the sea wall at Dawlish, once again exposing how vulnerable the main rail line to Devon and Cornwall remains.

“With Storm Chandra hitting, the risks are far from hypothetical. This rail line is not a luxury - it is a necessity for hundreds of thousands of people, supporting jobs, businesses and daily life across Devon.

“Yet serious questions remain about whether funding is in place for urgent, unplanned resilience work when extreme weather strikes.

“Whilst over £165 million was invested in protecting this stretch of coastline under the previous Conservative government, this Labour government seem to be sticking their heads in the sand.

“I asked the rail minister to guarantee contingency funding where it’s needed because communities and businesses cannot afford uncertainty when critical infrastructure fails.”

Meanwhile, Luke Pollard, Plymouth MP (Lab) said: “Storm Ingrid has once again highlighted the vulnerability of our rail network. To build a more resilient future, I have joined fellow Labour MPs in writing to the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander.

“We are calling for a Strategic Rail Plan for the far South West to ensure Devon and Cornwall remain connected, regardless of the weather. We look forward to meeting the secretary of state to work together on long-term solutions that protect our economy and keep our region moving.”