South Devon MP Caroline Voaden has stepped up efforts to address the ongoing crisis at the A379 Slapton Line.

Ms Voaden said she has been working “at pace” on the situation affecting the A379 and wider coastal erosion at Start Bay, as concerns continue to grow about the long-term future of the route and the communities it serves.

Speaking after a public meeting on the issue, the MP said she had initially considered launching a parliamentary petition calling for a change to the law or government policy. Such petitions require 100,000 signatures before they can be debated in Parliament.

However, Ms Voaden said she was no longer convinced that approach would deliver the urgent action needed.

“The priority right now is to work at speed,” she said. “Even if we reach 100,000 signatures, a debate is not scheduled immediately and it often takes a long time.”

Instead, she has launched her own petition to demonstrate the strength of public feeling around the future of the A379 Slapton Line and the protection of coastal communities at risk from erosion.

Ms Voaden said the petition would be used directly in conversations with the government to underline the level of concern locally.

“I will use this petition during my conversations with the government to demonstrate the strength of feeling about the future of the A379 Slapton Line and protecting coastal communities at threat from erosion,” she said.

While focusing on urgent engagement with ministers, Ms Voaden said it was also vital the issue continued to be raised in Parliament.

She confirmed she intervened in a parliamentary debate earlier this week to highlight the situation and has also secured a Prime Minister’s Question on Wednesday which will allow her to raise the issue directly with the Prime Minister.

Ms Voaden has also applied for a further parliamentary debate focused on supporting coastal communities in Start Bay.

She said this would provide another opportunity to raise concerns about the A379 Slapton Line, the situation at Beesands, and the growing impact of coastal erosion.

During the debate, she also plans to reference the number of signatures gathered on the petition as evidence of the level of concern among residents, businesses and visitors.

The A379 Slapton Line has been repeatedly damaged by storms and erosion in recent years, with the latest collapse adding to pressure on authorities to find a long-term solution.

Sign the Petition here: https://tinyurl.com/dwct59ka