The second section of the new Dawlish sea wall in Devon will open at 2pm on Thursday 25 May.

The section includes fully-accessible public areas, including 415 metres of new promenade, between Coastguards and Colonnade breakwaters. It wraps around Dawlish station, where work continues to build an accessible footbridge with lifts for passengers.

Work on the second section began in November 2020, after the first section, which runs for 360 metres alongside Marine Parade, was substantially completed and opened to the public. The ‘final touches’ of the first section were finished the following year.

The two sections join at Marine Parade via a new footbridge that runs parallel to the railway viaduct. Local residents and visitors to Dawlish can now access the high-level promenade all the way from Boat Cove to Coastguards footbridge, where it joins the original sea wall.

Now that construction is complete, the beach between Colonnade and Coastguards breakwaters will reopen to the public.

The construction process involved the use of an innovative, eight-legged, self-contained walking jack-up barge, known as a ‘Wavewalker’. This was the first time this type of barge has been used to upgrade the UK rail network, and allowed the team to work across the high tidal ranges that impact the south Devon coast.

The wall itself was mostly completed by July 2022. The work involved installing 164 front panels and 203 pre-cast blocks, together with 189 recurve units which return waves back out to sea and prevent them flooding the track and causing closures and delays.

Network Rail engaged contractor BAM Nuttall to complete further features of the project, including the link bridge, promenade, seating areas, ramped access to the beach and a new stilling basin, where Dawlish Water runs under the viaduct into the sea.

The new sea wall includes features which reference the history of Dawlish.

The footprint of the old Coastguards boathouse is visible on the new promenade, while the wall in front of the station features outlines of the alcoves that used to provide seating. New benches have been created using stone reclaimed from the old wall.

At eight metres high, the new sea wall is two-and-a-half metres taller than its predecessor, so will protect the railway from rising sea levels and extreme weather into the future.

Leading marine, coastal and railway engineering experts were involved in developing the project, in response to the major storm of 2014. It forms part of the South West Rail Resilience Programme, put in place to make infrastructure between Exeter and Newton Abbot more robust.

Funded by the government and costing £80 million, the sea wall project has boosted the local economy by £15million boost through local workers, materials and accommodation where possible.

Ewen Morrison, Network Rail senior programme manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be opening this new section of sea wall and would like to wholeheartedly thank the community of Dawlish for their patience and support while the construction took place close to their homes and businesses over two-and-half years.

“The project has not been without its challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the discovery of an uncharted gas main and some particularly wet, cold and stormy conditions over the past winter. It is testament to the efforts of the teams involved that they have worked around the clock, whatever the weather, to deliver this huge feat of engineering.

“The project is vital not just for Dawlish but for the whole of the south west peninsula as the railway connects communities in 50 towns and cities with the rest of the UK. The railway is now better protected and we hope the new wall, promenade and footbridge will be used and enjoyed by generations to come.”

Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbot, said: “It has been an incredible journey since that fateful night when the sea wall came down to what we now have in Dawlish. The new wall, the promenade, rockfall shelter and the footbridge provide the additional resilience this essential piece of infrastructure needs to ensure the long-term viability of the line. Network Rail have been hugely impressive in their dedication to the task at hand. I look forward to continuing to work with them as the work further up the line to Teignmouth continues.”

Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council Cabinet member for Climate Change, Transport and Environment, said: “Peninsula Rail Task Force was formed in the wake of the terrible damage at Dawlish in 2014, we are now very relieved for our lobbying to have fruition for Dawlish and the South West Peninsula.

“Network Rail has not only delivered a future-proof solution, enhanced public realm and improvements to the station, they have protected the economy of the wider south west. We are truly grateful to the Government for listening to us and for the support of the Department of Transport to see this phase of the overall project through to completion.”

Alan Cox, Managing Director, Transport, BAM Nuttall, said: “Through a spirit of collaboration and resilience, BAM and Network Rail have transformed adversity into triumph at Dawlish. Guided by a shared vision, our dedicated team has demonstrated ingenuity throughout, defying the physical challenges that beset the site. Whether it was the use of stone-filled containers to protect the area following the initial failure in February 2014, the use of the Wavewalker to install the new piling or the development of a bespoke low-carbon structural concrete, innovation has paved the way for remarkable achievements.

“I’m incredibly proud of our team’s problem-solving prowess but our success in Dawlish extends beyond just completion of this vital infrastructure project. Recognising the major impact on the local community, our team’s commitment to open communication and transparency has been truly exemplary. We have forged a lasting bond with our neighbours, ensuring they were well-informed and engaged throughout the process.

“Looking back, this project will forever be a source of immense pride and satisfaction for our team. The legacy we leave behind in Dawlish exemplifies the power of determination and collaboration and will resonate with the town, the Great Western Railway, and its valued passengers for generations to come.”