The urgent plight of the iconic Slapton Line road after it was catastrophically damaged by storms has been raised in Parliament ahead of a vital public meeting.

Caroline Voaden MP (Liberal Democrat, South Devon) raised the issue of the devastated A379 road at Torcross in the House of Commons, urging the government to pledge emergency funding to help ensure repairs can be carried out.

She described the damage to the “glorious coastal road” at Slapton, and said: “It had already been damaged by storms in January, but (during the subsequent storm) huge chunks of it were literally washed into the sea.

“It is absolutely devastating, and I was shocked to be told by officials at the Department for Transport that there is no national emergency fund for repairs to roads damaged by storms.

“As we see more intense and frequent storms caused by climate change, the government needs to ensure that it has funding ready to support communities like those around Torcross that have been devastated by this damage.”

Ms Voaden’s comments came ahead of a vital community meeting she has helped rapidly organise about the future of the road.

The MP will be speaking to residents and businesses at Stokenham Parish Hall (Thursday 5 January) from 11am until 12:30.

The Start Bay Inn, the popular thatched pub in Torcross, urged people to attend the meeting if they could make it.

“Caroline and her team have been amazing during this terrifying time, she is fighting hard to save the road and advised that Devon County Council are working hard to protect Torcross,” a post on Facebook from the pub said.

Efforts to galvanise the community will be vital given the Slapton Line road is now impassable, with stretches where the entire width has been washed away and previous defences ripped apart.

The row of houses along the concrete walkway at Torcross have also sustained further damage after the stormy conditions pushed sea water over the existing defences and onto the properties on the other side.

Worryingly, Julian Brazil (Liberal Democrat, Kingsbridge), the leader of Devon County Council, has stated that he predicted repairs would cost “tens of millions of pounds”, cash that the council “can’t afford”.

“We’re desperately looking for help from government,” Cllr Brazil said in comments released earlier this week as he travelled to London to lobby ministers for support.

“Donna Manson, the Devon County Council chief executive and I, are in Westminster with local MP Caroline Voaden, banging the drum and making representations on behalf of people in the local community, to do as much as we can for them,” he added.

Furthermore, Ms Voaden confirmed on her Facebook page that dealing with the aftermath of such disasters was “not something local authorities can be expected to budget for”, but worse, is that the government has no such contingency pot either.

“It is shockingly short-sighted for the government not to have an emergency fund in place, especially as our climate becomes more unpredictable,” she said.

“I am continuing my conversations with the government about what can be done after the partial collapse of the A379 Slapton Line.

“Right now, the focus must be on supporting affected communities and businesses and I know the Environment Agency, Devon County Council and South Hams District Council have been on the ground today assessing the situation.”

Ms Voaden reiterated her wish to speak to people at the meeting in Stokenham on Thursday (5 February).