Voaden raises Slapton Line plight to PM

Sir Keir said communities had been “badly affected”

The prime minister has acknowledged communities have been “badly affected” in the wake of the severe damage wreaked on Torcross and the devastated Slapton Line.

The comments came in response to a question by South Devon MP, Caroline Voaden, during the landmark weekly Parliamentary event of Prime Minister’s Questions.

Ms Voaden impressed on Mr Starmer the significant impact the road’s damage and subsequent closure had had on Torcross and surrounding communities, and urged him to ensure a coordinated response from the “myriad of government agencies” that would likely be involved in any repair.

“Thousands who used [the road] to commute to school, work and healthcare are stranded, bus routes broken, emergency vehicles blocked, and the 300,000 visitors who come annually and underpin our fragile tourist economy now in doubt,” she told Parliament.

She drew on the history of Torcross to help invoke a response from the government, stating that the village has played a vital role – twice – in major events of national significant.

“It is a place that has stepped up twice to defend this country,” she said.

“Once when around 1.5 million cubic metres of shingle were dredged out of the bay to build the naval dockyards in Plymouth, and again when it was used as the training ground for the D-Day landings at a cost of 750 American soldiers’ lives.

“It is also the site of a unique national nature reserve, with rare species only found there.”

Ms Voaden added that the storm damage was of “national significance”, and urged Mr Starmer to support a coordinated response.

“Will he ensure the myriad of government agencies and departments needed will work together with experts to find and fund a sustainable long-term solution,” she said.

The end of her question, however, seemed to be drowned out by some MPs as she mentioned the phrase “coastal erosion that is inflicting so much…”, leading the Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to intervene.

He shouted “order”, then stated that it was a “very important question, but I think the prime minister would have got it in the first two minutes”.

Mr Starmer said: “I know communities have been badly affected by recent storms and the damage to the A379 is very concerning.”

He noted that Ms Voaden was due to meet the roads minister, Keir Mather, later today (Wednesday 11 February), and pointed to the £10 billion in government support aimed at improving coastal and flood defences around the country.

He thanked Environment Agency staff for working to put extra protections in place to “protect people ahead of further wet weather”, but it was unclear whether that related to the country as a whole or Torcross.

The government announced the £10.5 billion of funding for flood defences last year, but it linked the cash to “deprived communities”, and the cash covers the period out to 2036.

Furthermore, an example of funding from the scheme shows local areas would still need to contribute some money towards any new defences.

The government said from April 2026 new rules would ensure that all prioritised flood projects valued at £3 million or less are eligible for full funding by the government.

“Prioritised projects valued higher than this will be eligible for the first £3 million of support upfront, and 90 per cent of the costs thereafter,” the government’s website states.

“For example, if an eligible scheme valued at £10 million was approved and prioritised for investment, the scheme owners would only need to provide £700,000 to get spades in the ground, as the government would contribute £9.3 million to the project’s costs.”