Devon Rail Line and Cycle Paths Face Protracted Repairs Following Storm Bert Damage

Devon County Council has announced that a disused railway line, along with a widely used cycle path and footpath in the region, will require significant time for repairs following damage sustained during Storm Bert. Last month, strong winds and heavy rainfall caused damage to several routes, including the former Heathfield branch line, national cycle route 28 which passes through Stover, the Stover Trail, and Templer Way. Stuart Hughes, who serves as Devon County Council’s cabinet member for highway management, reported that the trail suffered extensive flooding. According to cyclist Graham Brodie, the storm rendered the area “completely unrecognisable.” Hughes mentioned that local community members were planning a voluntary clear-up day to help restore the trail; however, the complete scope of necessary repairs will remain unclear until water levels recede. He stated, “Unfortunately, this won’t be a quick fix as the flooding to the trail is extensive and will take several weeks to ease – even with water pumping currently being carried out by Sibelco.” Robert Harris, chairman of the management committee for the Stover Canal Trust, commented: “There was a huge amount of water, can’t say unprecedented because it happened at the beginning of the 1950s.” Mr. Brodie further remarked: “It’s a completely unrecognisable landscape if you ride here regularly.” Mike Cooke, chairman of the Heathfield Rail Link Association, indicated that his group partially attributes the damage to the rail line to Network Rail. He asserted, “Network Rail should really at least do a minimum of once a year maintenance on the line, it’s down to them at the end of the day.” Network Rail responded by stating: “As the Heathfield line is not operational, engineers are currently prioritising work to rectify storm damage in other areas so that the impact for passengers is reduced.” The organization added that assessments of the Heathfield line would subsequently be conducted, and a plan would be formulated to address the required actions, including associated costs.