Residents devastated by destroyed coastal road

Locals being updated by MP

Vocal residents impacted by the devastating destruction on and around Slapton Line have said repairing the iconic road must be the outcome amid efforts to secure government support.

Residents and business owners were updated on efforts by Caroline Voaden MP (Liberal Democrat, South Devon) to secure financial support from ministers to help repair the picturesque stretch and improve sea defences there.

But Ms Voaden, while not ruling anything out, acknowledged that it wasn’t clear whether there would be support from Westminster or not, albeit she would be lobbying the minister responsible for roads next week.

She said she had been contacted by hundreds of residents and therefore heard “all the ideas” for what should happen to the line now – including a suggestion to ‘get the Americans in to rebuild it’ – but that patience would be required while a potential way forward was sought.

However, some residents are clear that they believe repairing the line is the only way forward.

“It is definitely the main will of the communities to have that road rebuilt,” said Slapton resident Natalie Cordrey, who is helping coordinate efforts to galvanise the community and ensure its voice is clearly heard.

“We’re not, at the moment, thinking there is a plan B. We have a plan A, and the reason that is our only wish – to rebuild the road, as well as making the village safe – is because there is not an alternative.

“There is no adaptation plan that has been executed.”

Ms Cordrey added that the road between Slapton and Stokenham, which would now become one of the main routes that drivers use to access villages and towns on the other side of the Line, was completely unsuitable for more traffic.

“It’s a tiny, narrow, steep, wet, muddy, and at the moment, flooded, road,” she said.

One proposal that emerged from the meeting was to spend money on improving such roads, to help residents and tourists negotiate the area more easily.

But Ms Cordrey questioned how quickly that would happen.

“There are protected Devon banks along it, there would be compulsory purchases of land needed with many farmers to get the roads made wider, and that is an enormous project from a bureaucracy point of view and it isn’t a short road.

“Plus, it goes through a National Landscape [formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty], so there would have to be loads of other parties involved like Natural England and the Environment Agency that would need to align to get those improvements completed.

“That’s not happening any time soon, but if it had happened 15-plus years ago and we had that plan ready for this eventuality, then fine, we would be alright with the road going down there and we would be ready for it, but we aren’t.”

She added that the community was on “the front foot” when it came to being prepared to vocalise its wishes and to support Ms Voaden in any way it could.

Resident Tasha Kalisher, who runs a business from her home in Slapton, said the issue of displaced traffic really did need to be considered.

“My clients are already struggling to get to me at home, so it is already an issue,” she said.

“I run classes in Slapton, and we are protected from the sea and the tides, but we are affected in other ways, as the traffic from the A379 will now come through our little 14th Century village.”

Ms Voaden acknowledged that any efforts to make the back roads around the area capable of dealing with more traffic needed to be carefully considered, including the need for clear signage so drivers knew where to go.

She added that money could potentially be spent on creating or improving passing places and blind corners.

“This is going to last for a long time, and councils and various agencies, alongside myself, are putting in lots of time and energy into this,” she said.

“There are ways around for drivers, but it is about working out which is the most usable, and ensuring signage is present to make sure people use the most appropriate route.”

Ms Voaden added that she would be going into her meeting with the roads minister with a “strong case” for funding, with hopes that any offer will be enough to fix the Line, but if not, then “anything at all even to supplement the pot to make the alternative route better”.