Slapton Line: Frequently Asked Questions

Updated 9th February 2026

Below are answers to some of the questions that have been asked most often over the past week.

1)      Will the A379 be repaired?

I fully understand the distress and frustration caused by the destruction to the A379 following recent storm damage

Unfortunately, it is simply too soon to say if and when the A379 will be repaired. The situation continues to evolve, with more storms expected which could cause further damage. Investigations are still ongoing, but I can assure you that a great deal of work will be carried out to come up with possible solutions.

Funding is likely to be the most significant challenge, along with finding a solution that is acceptable based on the environmental designations of the area. This is why I am liaising with South Hams District Council and Devon County Council and will be pushing as hard as possible in Westminster for the required funding.

The A379 is likely to be closed for quite some time, even if it does eventually reopen, as a huge amount of work would be required to stabilise and rebuild. Permissions would also need to be sought, which extends the process.

2)      Who is the decision maker?

There is not just one decision maker in this situation, as different bodies are responsible for different areas.

• Devon County Council is responsible for the A379 road and the defences that protect it. They are also responsible for the inland road network.

• The Environment Agency is responsible for the sea wall in Torcross.

• South Hams District Council is the coastal protection authority and is therefore responsible for protecting the coast from erosion and encroachment by the sea, in line with Shoreline Management Plans.

• Natural England is responsible for protecting the Slapton Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which includes the Ley and the shingle down to the mean low water line.

  
  

These bodies have been working together for years as part of the Slapton Line Partnership and will continue to do so.

Government funding will be required, no matter what the agreed route forwards, so I will be pushing for this.

3)      What work is being done to ensure alternative routes are suitable?

Devon County Council have a small amount of money to invest in the inland roads – to prevent flooding, add passing places, deal with blind spots and improve traffic flow. This work is essential, even if the decision is made to rebuild the A379.

The Slapton Line Partnership has been making some progress on this issue in recent months, and a working group had been formed. Parish Councils have been involved in identifying the most suitable alternative route, which will be focused on by Devon County Council.

In recent days, I have reiterated the urgent need for signage on key routes to be updated or installed, and for flooding issues to be addressed.

I am aware there will be an impact on emergency service response times, and have contacted Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, and South Western Ambulance Service to ensure contingency plans are in place.

4)      What support is available for business that have been affected?

As soon as I was informed of the collapse of the A379 and damage to properties in Torcross, I wrote to various government departments including the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, highlighting the need to support communities affected by coastal erosion in Start Bay. I have also written to the Department for Business and Trade about the issue.

South Hams District Council are working hard to support residents and businesses and have advised that businesses may wish to contact the Valuation Office Agency to make a proposal to alter the business rates Rating List due to a material change in circumstances. Details can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/confirm-your-property-details where there is useful information, including how to expedite the process.

Any businesses are welcome to contact my office on caroline.voaden.mp@parliament.uk to discuss their specific circumstances, and I will do my best to assist.

5)      Is the Ley at risk?

It is important to note that a breach of the A379 is different to the breach of the shingle ridge.

Shingle barriers are a dynamic feature that ‘self-heal’ to an extent, as they continually shift in response to sea level changes and storm events. During calm periods, waves build up the beach profile; during storms, waves push the crest landward and reshape the barrier. This back‑and‑forth movement – both vertically and horizontally – helps the barrier adjust to changing conditions and maintain its overall stability. When we intervene and stop this natural movement – such as by building a road – the barrier becomes less able to absorb wave energy and catastrophic change is more likely.

Slapton Ley is a National Nature Reserve, a unique environment which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and protected by Natural England. The nature reserve supports a diverse range of habitats and is home to numerous protected terrestrial and marine species.

A study was previously carried out into the interaction between Start Bay and Slapton Ley in the event of a major breach. This can be found here: https://www.slaptonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Slapton-Ley-Study-Summary.pdf

6)      How will the petition be used, and why is it not hosted on the official parliamentary website?

A petition hosted on the ‘petition.parliament.uk’ website is an excellent way for the public to bring an issue to the attention of a wide range of MPs and Government, but is not the most appropriate option for an MP who wishes to draw attention to an issue in their constituency.

After 10k signatures, official parliamentary petitions will receive a response from the Government, and after 100k, they will be considered for a debate in Parliament. However, it can take a very long time for a petition to be debated – the following list shows that one petition has been waiting for over 200 days to receive a date for a debate despite having over 260,000 signatures: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions?state=awaiting_debate.

MPs have other options available to them which mean they can bring the issue to the attention of the Government more quickly. 

I will therefore be formally presenting a public petition in the House of Commons, most likely on Monday 23rd February. The petition will be printed in Hansard, sent to the relevant Government department, and will receive a response from this department.

Petitions presented in this way must be ‘wet ink’ signatures. As we wanted to maximise the number of people who could sign the petition, the actual petition presented will be signed by just a few people, but when I stand up in Parliament, I will refer to the petition that I am running online. This is standard practice in Parliament and was suggested to us by the Parliamentary Petitions Clerk, and is the best way to show the strength of feeling on the matter.

The petition presented in Parliament will have exactly the same wording as the one to be signed online. 

To support this petition, I have already applied for an adjournment debate on the issue.

This could take place as early as w/c 23rd February, and will be a 30 minute debate where I can directly address a Government Minister. I can again take the opportunity to highlight the number of people who have signed the petition.

As you can see, the parliamentary process is fairly complex, but please be assured I am trying to do everything I can to bring maximum visibility to this issue and to push the Government for support.