The council leader branded it ‘outrageous’ with Natural England saying it ‘will be discussing the next steps’ with the authority in the new year
Badgers have caused a rural North Lincolnshire road to be closed with work not expected to begin until July due to the species’ mating season (stock photo)(Image: Getty Images)
The leader of North Lincolnshire Council says it is “outrageous” repairs to a closed rural road cannot get underway until July due to the badger mating season. Earlier this week, Cllr Rob Waltham urged Natural England to take “urgent, pragmatic action” to work towards reopening College Road, in East Halton.
It has been shut since October after being deemed “no longer safe for motorists”. At the time it was reported this was due to “wildlife tunnelling beneath the carriageway”.
When the road was first closed, parts of it had sunk by almost two centimetres in just a few days and was “continuing to move”. This presented a “serious risk of collapse” if traffic carried on using the road.
North Lincolnshire Council says the ongoing closure has left residents, farmers and businesses facing diversions of up to 36 miles. However, Natural England says it issued the authority a licence to carry out work on October 13 which permitted the council to interfere with two badger setts, obstruct access to sett entrances and block and badger proof the setts. It also allowed the authority to disturb the badger setts and destroy the vacant setts.
The council says it has already taken “significant steps to resolve the issue responsibly” including building an alternative badger sett to allow repairs to go ahead. However, the “badgers returned to their original sett”.
The council says it has completed a full technical assessment of the site and has moved to detailed design work to rebuild the damaged section of rural road. However, as the badger mating season began on December 1 and continues until the end of June, legal protections mean no work can take place until after that date. During this period, sows are pregnant, giving birth, or raising cubs underground making them “highly vulnerable” to disturbance.
Badgers have had full legal protection since 1992. This makes it illegal to kill, injure or capture a badger as well as disturbing, damaging or destroying their setts. Those found guilty can face a prison sentence of up to six months and an unlimited fine.
College Road, near East Halton, has been closed due to badgers tunnelling beneath it(Image: North Lincolnshire Council)
Cllr Waltham said: “It is frankly outrageous that protections affecting a handful of badgers during mating season mean six months of total inaction on a failing road. An entire village is left to live with danger, disruption and the slow erosion of its local services.
“We respect the importance of protecting wildlife, but the current situation has tipped completely out of balance. Farmers are being prevented from running their businesses properly, residents are facing daily disruption, and a vital village post office is now under threat.”
Cllr Waltham, who recently met residents and businesses with Brigg and Immingham MP Martin Vickers, added: “This is no longer a speculative issue or a minor inconvenience – it is a real and growing danger to public safety and the future of the community and our hands are completely tied.
“Natural England needs to take urgent, pragmatic action to break the deadlock and allow essential repairs to be fast-tracked. We are firmly behind the residents of East Halton. They deserve safe roads, viable businesses and access to the services that keep a village thriving – and we will continue pressing for action until that happens.”
When the Telegraph contacted Natural England for a response to Cllr Waltham’s comments, the public body was in contact with the council leader and he then further added: “I’m pleased to say I’ve had a very positive and open conversation with Natural England and I very much look forward to working with them in the new year.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Natural England told the Telegraph: “We issued North Lincolnshire Council with a licence on 13 October to carry out this work ahead of the badger breeding season. In exceptional circumstances, we can grant extensions to licences. We will be discussing next steps with North Lincolnshire Council in the new year.”