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Unions are concerned the damage to the region's transport infrastructure will place it further behind the rest of the country in terms of the economic recovery. While unemployment has fallen in the UK, it has risen in the South West and while pay in the UK rose by 9.6% in the UK between 2008 and 2013 (still behind inflation), in the South West it rose only by 5.7% way below rising prices.

Nigel Costley, Regional Secretary of the South West TUC, said: “Much of Somerset has been under water since before Christmas but it was only when Prince Charles visited that Westminster politicians began to take note.

“The regional economy is already struggling with unemployment rising and real wages falling and the floods have only served to make things worse by exposing just how vulnerable our transport infrastructure is.

“Key parts of the peninsula are cut off by rail. Today, there are no trains running south of Bristol. The Cornish economy is dependent upon what happens in Devon, and the Devon economy is dependent on what happens further up country.

The idea that decisions about the South West economy can be made by six obscure Local Enterprise Partnerships stuffed with old boys' club employers has left the region without a strong voice. We cannot rely on Prince Charles in his wellies to speak up for strategic investment needed across the region.

“The South West economy is in trouble and we desperately need a proper analysis of what is going on and a strategic plan to lift us out of the doldrums.

“Even without the damage to our infrastructure, the South West economy was struggling – we are not performing as well as the rest of the UK in job terms.”

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Nigel Costley is available for comment on 07887 797 153

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