A LOCAL MP has been fighting to make sure local rail links remain intact with the rest of the country.

South West Devon MP Gary Streeter held talks this week with Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP in light of the recent flooding on the line from London Paddington which saw the South West 'cut off' from the rest of the UK.

He met Mr McLoughlin at Westminster on Tuesday to discuss how to stop the disruption from happening again and is prioritising tackling flood problems throughout 2013.

He said: 'We discussed the problem in detail and I was pleased to find that he had already been fully briefed by his officials and was aware of the unacceptable disconnection between Devon and Cornwall and the rest of the country. He has promised to call a meeting of Westcountry MPs shortly to set out their plans in detail and to enable local MPs to ask questions. The minister has already held talks with Network Rail to ensure that rapid infrastructure solutions are found to better defend the vital rail link against future flooding events.'

Ivybridge train station did not suffer any direct flooding but saw services from London Paddington cancelled due to flooding and landslips further up the line. Travellers were encouraged to find alternative means of travel or, at the peak of the bad weather, to avoid travelling at all.

Mr Streeter has said that tackling the urgent flooding issues affecting his constituency: protecting the rail link, getting better flood defences in place for the most high risk communities and tackling the threat to future insurance are his highest political priorities for 2013.