Recently installed road signs are warning Isle of Wight motorists of crossing wildlife, thanks to the efforts of Badger Trust Isle of Wight.
Over the years Badger Trust Isle of Wight has requested wildlife warning signs from the Department for Transport (DfT) to be placed in hotspot areas of the Island to try to reduce roadkill figures, but these requests were all refused.
However, in December 2023 the DfT announced that it would now be easier for local councils to approve requests for the new small animal warning signs without DfT approval.
This new small animal warning sign depicts a hedgehog, as the DfT no longer issues an official badger warning sign, although the sign depicts a hedgehog rather than a badger, it was a decision the trust ‘had no option but to go for’.
A spokesperson for Badger Trust Isle of Wight has said:
“It took a long time for the IW Council to get a procedure in place to approve these requests, but with the help earlier this year from Joe Robertson managed to get approval for 2 new signs which were installed on 2nd June along Whitwell Road, Ventnor.”
“This road has been by far the worst area on the island for roadkill since 2011 when we started collecting records. A total of 78 badgers have been hit and killed during this time on this stretch of road, this figure does not include any badgers that have been hit and manage to stagger away from the road to die, so the true numbers will be a lot higher.”
Members of Badger Trust IW funded the new signs, with Island Roads installing them under their voluntary scheme.
If the signs reduce the number of roadkills, then Badger Trust IW will look to request them in other locations.
If only motorists would read Road signs
I doubt it very much.
Here are a few examples of everyday Numpty’s
Vehicles are forever turning into the NO
Right turn street off of Brading High Street.
Vehicles always drive out of the Wellbeing centre in
Ryde even though there are clearly NO Entry signs
Also vehicles regularly turn into Beachfield Road
even though there are NO Entry signs
The island is full of lawless motorists
I struggle to understand why drivers exiting McDonald’s on Brading Road cannot turn left, towards the roundabout, go around it and follow it towards Ryde.
There is always congestion along Brading Road due to numpties attempting to turn right, cutting up drivers in both directions.
They should be forced to turn left.
The Numpty’s who own McDonald’s should install
camera’s and any vehicle turning right should be fined
for doing so.
IW Council could get Island Roads to erect a
NO right turn sign, this is long overdue.
Traffic safety on the island is a JOKE and
that’s before the Circus arrives.
McDonald’s is an accident waiting too happen,
yet they want to open more drive-thru’s
Motorist also turn “right” from the Esplanade into george st. It needs a BIGGER SIGN so it can be seen clearly.
Great to know most people care about the animal kingdom they don’t run us over
Without a doubt especially as our poor hedgehogs are well into decline.
Keep them safe.
And why are they in decline? Because of the expanding badger population. Sad but true.