Network Rail will be forced to rethink plans to improve the resilience of a key stretch of railway between Parson’s Tunnel and Teignmouth on Devon’s south coast after receiving negative responses to its proposals at public consultation.

Plans were developed to realign track closer to the sea to create space for measures to stabilise the cliffs above, where a landslip damaged the railway in 2014 shortly after the sea wall breach at Dawlish, just along the coast.

But Network Rail now says it will “refine” the project after over half of respondents to a consultation disagreed or strongly disagreed with its proposals. Key reasons cited in opposition included concerns over the loss of beach and the removal of heritage features, including an historic Brunel designed sea wall, as well as environmental impact, overall aesthetics and local economic impact.

Network Rail’s western route director Mike Gallop said: “It is important that we get this significant scheme right. As a result of the feedback we are now refining the plans even further with a view to then sharing these revisions with the public next year. We’ll now spend the next few months working through this detail; once we have our refined plans we will schedule a further round of public consultation in 2021.”

Plans to improve resilience along the 1.8km stretch of railway were already revised once to retain more of the beach and improve leisure access last year.

An application for a Transport & Works Act order for the project was due for submission this year, but following the latest consultation response this has been put on hold.

In total 73% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the line between Parson’s Tunnel and Teignmouth needs to be more resilient, but just 41% supported Network Rail’s current proposals. Over 50% of people were in favour of plans for a realigned coastal footpath to be built.

(Photograph: Network Rail)