Peninsula Rail Task Force chair Geoff Brown told a Transport Select Committee evidence session on Monday: “We were told that the main rail priority for the Department for Transport was (a long term solution to) Dawlish (pictured); a really weak infrastructure link. But it has been shunted into the next control period of 2019 to 2024 so it could be another six years until that is addressed.”

He added that his group was assured of a response from Government before the end of this month to its 20 year plan ‘Closing the Gap’ published in November 2016  but has yet to hear back.

“We presented a very strong case in the South West for what is needed to improve reliability and resilience for passengers, provide capacity and comfort and improve journey times,” Geoff Brown added. “Some of our asks aren’t huge; we are not asking for electrification of the whole line from Penzance to Paddington, but small (sections of electrification) in Devon could improve journey times.”

In Parliament last November the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “The Peninsula Rail Task Force’s top recommendation was that we need to deal with the issue of the cliffs at Dawlish. That is my number one rail priority for the South West, and I give an absolute guarantee to the House that, as long as I am Transport Secretary and beyond, my party is committed to delivering a solution to prevent the real risk that those cliffs represent.”

Geoff Brown also told the Transport Select Committee that he would like to see the South West establish a sub regional transport body to help develop longer term rail strategy. At the moment his region is currently very much “a Cinderella” compared to other regions around the country, he added.

Also giving evidence to the Committee’s session on rail infrastructure investment were Merseytravel’s director of integrated transport Mick Noone, Midlands Connect’s director Maria Machancoses and Transport for the North’s chief executive Barry White.

Mick Noone told the Committee that a national transport strategy is needed to help strategic transport bodies to move forward in their work to rebalance the economy.

Maria Machancoses was asked if regional bodies should have more of a say about national decisions. “Absolutely, the work of the strategic transport bodies need to be given more regard. We want to work with Government to help shape programmes of investment.”

Barry White commented that his group’s strategic transport plan – out for consultation – is more than just a transport plan, but represents an economic plan.

Photo: Network Rail