General · 15 February 2026
Storm Ingrid closes vital £165m railway in Devon
Storm Ingrid forced the closure of the vital Dawlish railway line in January 2026, causing widespread cancellations for passengers in Devon and Cornwall. This latest failure happened despite taxpayers spending £165m on defensive walls since the track famously collapsed into the sea twelve years earlier. Further protection works are currently suspended because the Labour government determined the final phase would cost too much to complete.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs