Railways
Originally Network Rail had indicated repair work may be completed by mid March, yet the latest damage has pushed the timescale back into April. Until the work is completed, no trains can travel between Exeter and Newton Abbot. An hourly service is running on the Paignton to Newton Abbot section of the Riviera Line and shuttle coaches are ferrying passengers from Newton Abbot to Exeter St Davids.
The best way to keep up to date with progress is to check online and there are helpful links from the First Great Western website for information on all floods and storm damage that is affecting our region. You can find the relevant pages by clicking here.
In addition to the problems at Dawlish the line between Taunton and Bridgewater, is flooded causing further disruption to services heading to the Midlands, the North and Scotland. If you had been planning a journey with Cross Country Trains, they have introduced a special ticketing arrangement for stations west of Exeter if you book in advance. More details of this can be found by clicking here
Funding For Storm Repair Work
The recent storms caused some significant damage, not least to the sea wall at Meadfoot and Victoria Breakwater in Brixham.
Torbay Council has been successful in securing £194,000 of funding from the Environment Agency to help fund structural repair works to the sea wall at Meadfoot and Victoria Breakwater in Brixham. Subject to favourable weather conditions the work should be completed before Easter.
Whilst the funding will not cover the whole cost of the repair work needed it is right that the Council is not being left to foot the whole bill.
Council Budget Passed
After a large amount of debate over recent weeks, Torbay’s Councillors and the Mayor agreed the Budget for 2014/15 at a Full Council meeting last week.
Following the Budget Meeting, the Deputy Mayor of Torbay, Cllr Dave Thomas, recorded a podcast discussing the Budget and responding to the issues raised by the opposition groups. You can hear it by clicking here
