Inquiries under way into Dawlish sea wall tragedy

Network Rail is investigating an incident on the sea wall at Dawlish at the weekend in which a woman on a mobility scooter fell to her death.

The incident happened on Saturday afternoon near Lady’s Mile.

At a meeting on Tuesday, members of Teignbridge Council said the incident had had an impact on many local residents.

“Our thoughts are with all of them,” said overview and scrutiny chair Cllr Suzanne Sanders (Lib Dem, Chudleigh). “We really have to address this problem.”

The infrastructure company has been carrying out a risk assessment on the exposed stretch of wall between Dawlish and Dawlish Warren since it completed work on the second phase of the town’s new sea defences last year,

Campaigners want measures to make the sea wall safer. Suggestions have included a handrail, lighting and better signage. A line painted on the walkway for guidance has eroded away.

Councillors have been told that a handrail would be expensive, difficult to install and vulnerable to damage from the sea.

Network Rail says it has been engaging with local councils for their views on the risks of using the sea wall, and it will go back to councils to let them know the outcome of the risk assessment. There are no plans for a public consultation.

Network Rail also stresses that the assessment was not instigated as a result of the previous death on the sea wall, that of Ukrainian teenager Albina Yevko, who fell to her death in March 2023. A 17-year-old local teenager, Brendon Burnage, died after falling off the wall into the water in 1992.

Completing the latest phase of the new sea defences was the trigger for the assessment, the company says.

A company spokesman said: “We commissioned it following the completion of phase two of the new sea wall to assess whether the risk had changed and, if so, what might need to be done to mitigate it.”

The spokesman went on: “We are very sorry to learn of the tragic incident that occurred in Dawlish on the afternoon of Saturday 13 July. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the person involved.

“We are making inquiries to ascertain fully the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“We are considering if action can be taken to reduce the risk of death occurring. We will be taking into account the particular circumstances of the incident on 13 July 2024 in our risk assessment of the entire sea wall, old and new.”