Business leaders from across the region are set to unite for the latest phase of the campaign.
The breakfast briefing is being held at - in the spirit of the South West taking its own united message of future-looking collaboration and calls for infrastructure investment straight to Government.
There will be a briefing by Sir Gary Streeter MP, chairman of the new Great South West All Parliamentary Group, to the group of leading figures from South West’s leading business and economic sectors.
Sir Gary said: “The Great South West is a magnificent place to live and work. Our aim is to ensure that this remains the case and that we receive the investment from government that we deserve.”
The #BackTheSouthWest Campaign is spearheaded by the Western Morning News and the Pennon Group with support from some of the region’s biggest employers including and .
And this meeting comes as the region’s transport links are once again in the spotlight.
This week, Network Rail has along the coastline between Dawlish and Teignmouth.
It is currently consulting with the public on its proposals to build out the line into the sea away from the cliff face that is vulnerable to erosion.
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This long-term plan, separate from the current works underway to increase the height of the sea wall at Dawlish, has yet to secure funding - going before the Government in the Autumn.
Meanwhile, doubts have been cast over whether £2bn plans to build a tunnel beneath Stonehenge World Heritage Site as part of .
The project forms part of the A303 and A358 road corridor which links the South East and South West of England, and the Department for Transport had aimed to upgrade the entire A303/A358 to dual carriageway through eight individual projects and allow mile a minute journey speeds along the corridor.
But a report from the National Audit Office says that the proposed road tunnel at Stonehenge may not offer value for money and the government’s spending watchdog says that at this early stage ‘there are risks and uncertainty around it being delivered on time and achieving the benefits government hopes it will bring.”
Bill Martin, Western Morning News editor-in-chief said it’s vital that the campaign maintains momentum despite Brexit uncertainty.
Launched in the wake of the EU referendum, the campaign aims were threefold; to ensure Government did not forget about the South West as it negotiated Brexit; to lobby the region to back itself and continue to invest, innovate and collaborate; and to continue to lobby for the significant infrastructure investment that the region desperately needs.
So far the campaign has resulted in two regional growth summits, the publication of the South West charter and the establishment of the Great South West brand.
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Mr Martin said: “While Brexit has seemingly dominated everything, progress is still being made, and having launched the third phase of the campaign there is a real need to keep private sector leaders up to speed.
“I believe it is crucial that the region continues to speak with one voice and that the momentum we have achieved so far is not lost.”