6. In terms of the railway can you explain unequivocally what ‘Hold The Line’ means? How defences

will be developed? What will this cost? Who will pay? Can you tell us where the cost benefit

analysis for each of the epochs has been undertaken?

The management of coastal rail assets by Network Rail Wales Route incorporates risks from sea

level rise to account for potential climate change impacts. Network Rail will continue to invest in

and maintain its coastal assets for the foreseeable future, our coastal asset management plans

for our next Control Period (2019‐2024) are already being developed to understand the scale of

interventions needed and the funding required to begin the Periodic Review process with our

Regulator, the Office of Rail and Road. For areas of the rail network where significant external

policy decisions may influence our long term asset management, such as Fairbourne and

Shoreline Management Plans, Network Rail does not make asset management decisions in

isolation. To this end, we see our participation on the Fairbourne Project Board as a critical step

in a process to develop a long term rail strategy and intervention plan for Fairbourne, and the

Cambrian route, that will align with local flood and coastal management policies and future

National Transport Plans.