Plymouth counts cost of Dawlish closure

The nine-week closure of the railway at Dawlish earlier this year cost Plymouth £37.8 million (£600,000 per day).

That’s according to Tracey Lee, chief executive of Plymouth City Council and lead chief executive for the Peninsula Rail Task Force.

Speaking at the Transport Select Committee on October 27, Lee said it wasn’t fair that while London enjoys £294 per head spent on transport, the South West has just £41 per head.

“I’m pleased these figures unmask spending for the South West,” she said.

• For more on this story, see RAIL 761, published on November 12.