Coastal Road At Slapton Near Torquay Collapses After Heavy Storms

A major section of the A379 coastal road at Slapton, Devon, has been washed away following a series of severe winter storms. Engineers from Devon County Council are on site assessing the damage after around a 200-metre stretch of the road between Torcross and the Slapton junction (near the memorial car park) crumbled into the sea in the early hours of 3 February 2026.

The collapse followed back-to-back storms that battered the area in January and early February — including Storm Goretti, Storm Chandra and Storm Ingrid — which local authorities say weakened the shingle ridge and damaged sea defences protecting the road. The loss of the road has caused immediate travel disruption, forcing residents and visitors onto long inland diversions — of roughly 20 miles on some routes — via narrow country lanes between Torquay and parts of the South Hams, with knock-on effects for local businesses and emergency access.

This stretch of the A379 has a history of storm damage, notably the major breach during Storm Emma in March 2018 that required the road to be realigned further inland. The Slapton Line Partnership’s 2023 strategy warned there is minimal or no practicable space remaining to retreat the road in many locations.

National and local reporting has shown the scale of the damage: BBC News and local outlets reported that a section of the road had washed away and that engineers were assessing the scene. Devon County Council and local highway updates have described the damaged section as unsafe and closed to traffic while inspections and temporary works continue. Recent parliamentary and local discussions (see Hansard, 6 March 2024) have debated long-term management options for the A379 — including adaptation measures, investment in defences, and whether continued repairs are sustainable as sea levels rise.