Main road through sleepy village will be closed for 18 months after workmen called in to fix pothole found badger sett
Villagers are furious at their local council for its inaction at removing a badger sett that has left their main road shut for ten months.
The residents of Hulver in Suffolk have had the main road through their village shut since last December after a pothole revealed a badger sett underneath.
In England, badgers are highly protected – not only do you need permission from Natural England to move a sett, but you are only allowed to relocate the animals between the beginning of July and the end of October.
Yet Suffolk Highways only put in an application for a licence to move the Hulver badgers in June, meaning if it is not granted before the end of the month residents will have to wait another eight months at least for the road to reopen.
Michael Leedham, 81, is furious at their local council for its inaction at removing a badger sett that has left their main road shut for ten months
In England, badgers are highly protected and you are only allowed to relocate the animals between the beginning of July and the end of October
Michael Leedham, 81, who lives in the area said: ‘I am so angry with the council’s management of the road and these situations.
‘I used to be a road engineer and am fully aware of the danger here, I cannot understand the council’s delay in accessing a license to remove the sett.’
He continued: ‘The way this has been handled has been bodged from day one, and time is simply running out.
‘From December to June the council sat on this information and didn’t do anything.
‘Why did it take the council so long to inform the wildlife group to remove the badgers? They should have been on that straight away.
‘It has taken months for them to identify they have been burrowing underneath the road and the road could be at risk of collapsing.
‘I have the best interests of the animals and the safety of drivers in mind.’
In the meantime, the road is partially closed and a traffic light system is in place, causing huge amounts of traffic and congestion for the rural area.
Hulver Street in Suffolk has been shut for ten months since the discovery of the badger sett
The road is partially closed and a traffic light system is in place, causing huge amounts of traffic and congestion for the rural area
A Suffolk Highways spokesman said: ‘The temporary traffic signals are in place to ensure the safety of the travelling members of the public and the badgers.
‘We have been working with the relevant authorities to ensure that correct procedures are followed, including applying for a license from Natural England.
‘The design is now complete; however, before repairs can begin, badger activity will need to be monitored for a minimum of 21 days.
‘We are unable to provide accurate timescales at this stage.’