HS2 and the South-West: post-Dawlish ..... "Building a few kilometres of new track to secure access to the South West has a far better case than building hundreds of kilometres of vanity trackage to serve places which are already linked by multiple rail and motorway systems."

There have been concerns voiced for some time about how the investment in the HS2 project will impact on investment in the railways elsewhere: 
BBC News - HS2: Businesses 'not convinced' of economic benefits

And that the promised benefits for the 'regions' will not materialise:
STOP HS2 | Has the TGV regenerated France’s Provincial Cities?

... especially in the South West:
Futures Forum: HS2 and the South-West: District Council to debate

But the District Council has been anxious not to rock the boat:
Railways motion supported on proviso HS2 criticism removed - Claire Wright
HS2 and rail infrastructure. The Leader said that the rail link at Dawlish was vital and that would be given Council support. The HS2 rail link was a separate nationally strategic issue.

www.eastdevon.gov.uk/council_mins_260214_with_ct_schedules_1-2-3.pdf

However, following the closure of the line at Dawlish 
Dawlish - Storm damage - Timetables and travel - Network Rail
The Rail Engineer | Gales, floods and the railway

... there were calls to invest in the South West:
STOP HS2 | “Forget HS2, West Wants GW2″
HS2 will cost £40.6bn, but the South West could get better rail for only £700m – Mirror.co.uk | HS2 ROUTE MAP
Railway lines shut 50 years ago could be reopened in £100million plan to divert trains away from Dawlish waves | Mail Online

Now that the line has been reopened:
BBC News - Dawlish railway station receives makeover for reopening

... the calls for action in the South West have only become louder:

Sir Tim Smit, founder of Cornwall's Eden Project, said the closure demonstrated the need for south west England to have better infrastructure.
He said: "One of the problems I think we face down here is a sort of political inertia. Because we don't have, if you like, the levers of power to make us seem important enough, we get viewed by the capital as if it's still at the old days of the Cornish Riviera, with a few nice things to do for people who've got wealth to come down and have holidays. But actually it's a really thriving place. I mean, it's one of the hubs of the creative industries in Britain. Yet you wouldn't know that the way we're talked about".

BBC News - Dawlish's storm-damaged railway line reopens

Ninety per cent of travellers to the South West, and maybe ninety-nine per cent of freight, go by road. Both the Great Western and HS2 could be described as loss-making infrastructure.
However, the effort and works in creating the Great Western are largely sunk costs, and building a few kilometres of new track to secure access to the South West has a far better equity case than building hundreds of kilometres of vanity trackage to serve places which are already linked by multiple rail and motorway systems.

Devon and Cornwall versus HS2 | beleben

Earlier this year The Herald and the Western Morning News launched a campaign calling on the Government to fund a new rail line for the South West in the wake of the damage at Dawlish.
The campaign asks Ministers to ditch plans for the HS2 link between London and the North in favour of a new route into the region which is more resilient to the weather.

The next train calling at Dawlish | Plymouth Herald

Another kick in the teeth for the SW | Plymouth Herald

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