Work completed on £40m Dawlish rail protection

In total, 19,700 square metres of steel netting has been fixed to the cliffs

A project costing nearly £40m to help protect a coastal railway line in Devon has been completed.

The work between Dawlish and Holcombe began in July 2023 and saw Network Rail install protection measures to catch any loose material.

In total, the project cost £37m, which was funded by the Department for Transport.

Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: "Everyone should have peace of mind knowing they can travel no matter the weather, and this important project helps provide that by giving long-term resilience for this vital stretch of railway."

He added: "Ten years since the Dawlish storm severed the South West from the rest of the network, significant government investment has ensured the line is now better safeguarded against extreme conditions, boosting the region's connectivity and economy for years to come."

Stainless steel netting equating to 19,700 square metres was secured to the cliffs above the railway in high-risk areas.

Challenges included taking extra care around some of the cliffs located within the Dawlish Cliffs Site of Special Scientific Interest.

And in the spring of 2024, a worker found a tawny owl nesting in a recess in the cliff face guarding two eggs.

Work in the immediate vicinity of the nest was stopped to protect the bird and a camera was set up to monitor the eggs.

Two owlets were subsequently spotted with their mother and work began again once the owls had successfully flown the nest.