Friog Sea Cliffs lie above and below the Cambrian railway. the single track railway is cut into the hillside directly above the beach, and above the railway there is the A493 coastal road, which is also cut into the hillside. the railway is approximately 25m above the shoreline, and the road is a similar height above the railway. Both the railway and the road rise from the north east to south west, with the road rising more steeply.

In general there are cliffs between rail level and the beach, whilst the slope between the rail and the road comprises a steep vegetated slope with some rock outcrops. Nevertheless the slopes above and below the railway vary between overhanging and steep rock faces and vegetated slopes along the site. There are also many unique man-made structures supporting and protecting the cliffs, the railway formation and the road. The site is approximately 1.2km long.

The initial scope of works for TGP was to undertake a desktop study to review the risks the cliffs posed to the railway using the previous inspection reports, aerial photographs (By TGP), aerial topographical survey data and information obtained from walkover surveys.

In the study, TGP identified eight individual areas considered of immediate risk to the railway, whilst another eight areas were to receive monitoring. TGP was commissioned by the contractors Sir Alfred McAlpine Capital Projects to produce remedial designs for the immediate areas.

In 2005, TGP was commissioned by Network Rail to undertake a full cliff inspection, to identify and access all the risks the geological and man-made features on the sea cliffs pose above and below the railway. The additional defects on the cliffs have been priortised in a remedial action and monitoring programme. The assessment has evaluated the many risks along the site, and evaluated whether any future line speed increases can be justified.