Signs Warning Hedgehogs Crossing
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Hi Hedgehog Lovers
Sadly another hedgehog dead within feet of where the other one was killed a couple of days ago. 😢
I’ve read on the forum that you can get signs warning of hedgehogs crossing. Do I just contact my local council roads and highways department?
Please advise that’s three hogs on the same road in three days!Hi Hettihog
So sad to hear about another hog.
I think your local council are the people who would put up a sign, or otherwise, so a good place to contact. You might like to enlist the help of your local MP and local councillor.
You can probably use the Big Hedgehog Map as some sort of evidence, although, (I know it sounds horrible) taking a photo if you find any more might also help as proof. But you might find that the council would like you to suggest a suitable location for a sign, which is safe, i.e. not on a dangerous bend, lots of other signs around, etc. With councils these days being so strapped for cash, they might welcome it if you had done some of the leg work. I know when I asked my local council (a long time ago – before these new signs were announced) they suggested that was the sort of information they would like. They also said that the parish council may need to agree and to pay for it – not sure if that still applies.
I suspect it isn’t as easy as we might like it to be! It would be really interesting to know if anyone has managed to get one of these signs put up.
Hey Nic Thanks for your reply.
I rang the local council this afternoon but they were unsure whose responsibility it is! I advised I had read on their web site that they (environmental business) were responsible for the welfare of wildlife, adding that hedgehogs are a protected species.
The officer I spoke to was not well informed and left me hanging on the phone while she took advice. I wouldn’t have minded at all if she had come back to me with a solution! But her response was try roads and highways, leaving me feeling a bit fobbed off!
I will ring the Roads & Highways department on Monday and I will also take your advice and act on all the points you make.
The road in question is a very long road and over recent years it’s turned into a bit of a race track for the boy racers! It’s a wonder that no people have been injured crossing the road.
It may be useful to point to this as a hazard at the same time as fighting the corner for hog safety – as maybe slower traffic would give the little hogs a bit more if a fighting chance .
Today I travelled a maximum of 10 miles from home and during that 10 miles we saw so much road kill. Two hedgehogs, a fox cub and a young badger – so distressing!
Thanks again for your advice, will let paste with any news.Hi Hettihog, I did reply this morning but somethings gone amiss. I wrote to my mp and Chris Grayling, alas no longer in the job, about these road signs. I got some info from the government to contact Highways, County Council as they are the ones putting road signs up. I have written an email to them requesting one and someone has been kind enough to re write my email into an online request. However, I’ve heard absolutely nothing at all from LCC. I’m not surprised as any type of sign costs a ridiculous amount of money and all councils are cash strapped. I’m curious to know if the government were going to give C Councils extra money to cover the cost. Make no mistake, 20 mph and road humps make no difference to people speeding, racing cars still race and the police are so short staffed now that road racing is low on their list. I’m sorry you’ve had such a bad week with the hogs and the dove. I feel for you and wish you luck with your quest for a mythical road sign! I’m going to have another go myself. Best wishes.
PS, couldn’t see my earlier in the day post cause its on a different place lol. I’m released to say Pippa is back! Hubby shouted me tonight to say a small hog was going to enter the feeding station and had second thoughts, backed off and walked away. I went to investigate and Pippa was in there eating the new cat biscuits I’ve bought. After leaving, Heidi came back and went in for her turn. I’ve put a sheet of plastic over the logs now so if Heidi is in there it will at least stop some rain getting in. Best wishes
Hi Annker
Thanks for your reply.
Well it may not make much difference to the boy racers, but that’s not going to deter me from making my voice heard! I am aware that those who shout the loudest and longest will eventually be heard, if only to shut them up and make them go away 😂
Pleased your still seeing your little visitors at the feeding station, we are so lucky to have hogs in the garden! Hetty is really packing the food away, I have three feeding stations and she is visiting them all through the night and by morning all the food has gone.
I introduced another feeding station thinking I may attract more hogs to prepare for hibernation. But Hetty is scoffing it all! She looks great ! I can’t wait to check the cam footage every morning so I know she’s is back safely from her walk abouts and not another casualty of the busy road!
This hog caring plays havoc with your heart! 😂
Best wishes x
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