A STRETCH of railway line near Taunton is set for improvements in a £1billion project to sort out problem hotspots.

Network Rail is looking at 40 sites in the South-West affected by heavy rain in the past two months which it says cost £10million to £20million in emergency unbudgeted funding to put right.

Trains from Taunton were affected when the route to Tiverton was flooded, causing long delays for commuters.

In April, 2004, South-West Trains ran 43,600 trains over four weeks, but in April, 2012, the number had risen to 45,646, which Network Rail says has put added pressure on the infrastructure.