New road signs are set to be introduced to boost safety on roads, particularly in rural roads across England, the Government announced.
A new warning sign will be rolled out to help drivers identify wildlife hotspots and be better protected from hazards.
It is hoped this move will help hedgehogs and other small animals be better protected under the rule changes announced today.
The main aim of the scheme is to make it easier for local authorities to put up wildlife warning signs, with the current hedgehog sign being updated following feedback to make it clearer to drivers.
The new hedgehog road sign will save local authorities from additional bureaucracy
DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT
Changes made by the Department for Transport will ensure local authorities are able to place small wild animal warning signs where they are needed most.
This will prevent any holdups with planning as local authorities would normally need to apply to the DfT on a case-by-case basis.
The small animal warning sign depicts a hedgehog and was first introduced in 2019 to make drivers more aware of animal activity in the area.
As well as cutting the restrictive red tape preventing them from being placed, the Government has updated the sign by adding white quills to the hedgehog’s back.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper visited Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire to mark the occasion and helped some hedgehogs who were injured by road traffic.
He said: “It was an absolute pleasure to see behind the scenes at the famous Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, where I witnessed the incredible work they do to heal a wide range of wildlife.
“These common-sense changes will lead to more small animal signs across the country, cutting down on bureaucracy to help protect both drivers and small animals, improving safety on our roads and making sure fewer casualties are checked into wildlife hospitals like these.”
Government data suggests that hedgehog numbers have dropped by between 30 per cent and 75 per cent in rural areas since the millennium.
Traffic has been identified as a major factor in the decline in hedgehog numbers, with many calling on other law changes to be rolled out to cut the amount of speeding on rural roads.
Brake, the road safety charity, has identified rural roads as the most dangerous roads for all types of road users, and has campaigned for “safe, not 60mph” roads.
Colin Stocker, CEO at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, said Mark Harper’s visit was “delightful”, adding that the policy change would have huge benefits by cutting out the red tape involved with erecting the signs.
He added: “A lot of the 14,000 animals admitted to us every year come in due to road traffic accidents and making motorists more aware of their presence, and encouraging them to be more cautious is a great step towards helping British wildlife.
“We were able to show Mark around our hospital and he was able to see some of the patients we currently have and meet the veterinary team behind the lifesaving work carried out here.
“We hope this policy change will result in more signage that, in turn, will remind motorists to be mindful of British wildlife when out and about.”
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Mark Harper holding the new road sign
DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT
The Government said the changes would reduce bureaucracy for local authorities following the Government’s pledge to protect motorists across the UK under the “Plan for Drivers”.