A MAJOR new report from the House of Lords has called for the Government to give more support to coastal communities including better rail links into Cornwall.

The Future of Seaside Towns is published today by the House of Lords select committee on regenerating seaside towns.

It has been published after peers carried out extensive research and visits to places like Cornwall to see what can be done to improve seaside towns’ fortunes.

Cornwall has multiple mentions in the 153-page document and one key area is around rail links to the county.

A note from Lord Shutt of Greetland states: “From the evidence we received, two areas of England – Cornwall and Lincolnshire (both of which we visited) -appear to be at a particular disadvantage from the impact of rail closures. Significant rail enhancement would assist connectivity to these areas for both for residents and tourists.”

The report then goes on to highlight that there is only one railway line connecting Cornwall to the rest of the UK and states that there have been concerns about the resilience of the line since it opened in 1846.

It goes on to highlight the impact of the line being closed at Dawlish due to weather conditions and that it was closed 10 times in the winter of 2018/19.

The report states: “It is increasingly clear that there should be an alternative route to Plymouth and Cornwall. The route from Exeter via Okehampton to Plymouth is the obvious solution, especially given that there are now plans to operate a service on the route from Exeter to Okehampton and also from Plymouth to Tavistock. The gap from Tavistock to the Meldon railhead to the west of Okehampton is only 15 miles. Closing that gap would mean that the North Cornwall coast would benefit from nearer rail access and ultimately give towns such as Bude some hope that they could be embraced in the rail network. The coastal town of Bude is further away from a railway station than any other in England.”

Elsewhere in the report the committee states that it found that Cornwall was “well served” by digital connectivity thanks to EU funding for superfast broadband.

The report also highlights problems with young people in seaside communities accessing educational opportunities and quotes Cornwall Council which said: “Beyond the age of 11, Cornwall’s young people often have to travel long distances to learn and access a broad range of academic and vocational opportunities. This is a real challenge for students in secondary and further education who live in coastal villages, and who may have to travel three or more hours per day to and from their place of education.”

Looking at funding to combat flooding and coastal erosion the report uses a comment from Cornwall Council to raise the problems with accessing such financial support.

It states: “Cornwall’s recent experience of severe weather and potential for more in future highlights the need for an improved methodology to assess

and forecast its economic impact. For example, Looe has a longstanding reputation for regular and severe flooding. However vital prevention work has not progressed due to the cost-benefit calculations used by the Environment Agency. This is despite wide acknowledgement of the need to intervene. A more comprehensive methodology should incorporate the wider impact of climate change in specific locations. Looe risks losing its function and identity as a visitor attraction, which would have a disproportionate impact on the whole of South East Cornwall. An improved methodology would enable preventative investments, reducing reactive expenditure to repair damage.”

The Lords report praises the work of organisations such as Newquay Safe and the work they have done to tackle crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour.

Plans for a Shared Prosperity Fund, which would replace money which goes to poorer regions like Cornwall from the EU, are also raised by the report.

It quotes Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay, who told the committee: “I want a dedicated pot of money for Cornwall, not a competitive process where Cornwall has to bid into a national pot. We want dedicated funds for Cornwall as we had in the European programme. It has to be less bureaucratic and more flexible than the European programme has been. There is no point in replacing one bureaucracy with another. It needs to be focused on the real issues that Cornwall faces. It needs to be focused on outcomes rather than inputs.”

Members of the committee who visited Cornwall heard about the additional strain placed on local services during the summer months due to the sharp increase in population from tourists.

When they met with local police they were told the problem with “county lines” – exploiting children and young people to transport drugs – was a particular problem in Cornwall. Police also told how they were having to deal with increasing numbers of mental health problems.

The report states: “It was suggested that seaside towns often have a higher proportion of vulnerable people, those that have ‘fallen through the gaps’, and that this is putting greater strain on public services, such as the police force. Members were told that there needs to be greater recognition that this is a common challenge for coastal areas. Members were told that tackling poor housing and providing more support services for vulnerable people would be key to tackling some of these issues.”

And the committee was also made aware of the issues around second homes and their impact on seaside towns.

The report includes a number of findings and recommendations which will be given to the government to consider.

These include the importance of digital connections, improved access to education, improved transport links and better quality of housing.

The committee also recommends that Local Industrial Strategies, which are being produced by Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) should address issues in seaside towns.

It also says that the Coastal Communities Fund is too small and should be reviewed and calls for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to be used to tackle deprivation in coastal communities.

The report also calls for a variant of local enterprise zones to be created specifically for coastal areas and backs arts-led regeneration.

Lord Bassam of Brighton, chairman of the committee, said: “For too long, seaside towns have been neglected. They suffer from issues rooted in the decline of their core industries, most notably domestic tourism, but also in fishing, shipbuilding and port activity, and from their location at the ‘end of the line’. The potential impact of Brexit on these towns, particularly the hospitality sector, also remains an open question.

“A single solution to their economic and social challenges doesn’t exist. What is needed is a package of strategic initiatives and interventions where national and local government work together to address issues such as transport, housing, post-school education and high-speed broadband.

“Places like Brighton and Bournemouth have shown that ‘the seaside’ can successfully reinvent itself. The committee is confident that if our recommendations are pursued seaside towns can once again become prosperous and desirable places to live in and visit.”