A road in Bath will be closed for the next six weeks as part of a national campaign to help save the common toad from disappearing in the region.
With the weather turning milder, volunteers from Charlcombe Toad Rescue will be on hand every evening in Charlcombe Lane and will carry toads over the busy road to help them reach their breeding lake at the bottom of the Charlcombe Valley.
Charlcombe Lane closes to through traffic every year to aid the migration.
From Monday 12th February, the lane will be closed for six weeks to all through traffic.
Those who live on the lane will still have access as well as delivery drivers and refuse collectors, ahead of the lane reopening on Monday 25th March.
Around 20 tonnes of toads are killed on UK roads each year.
The Charlcombe Toad Rescue Road Patrol has been running for over 20 years, and during this time they have rescued thousands of amphibians.
In 2023 the group helped 840 toads, 1022 frogs and 556 newts to make the journey.
Migration started early this year and more than 50 volunteers have already saved 100s of amphibians.
Patrol manager Helen Hobbs said: “We are looking forward to a busy few weeks ahead and are grateful to motorists for finding alternative routes during the lane closure.”
Charlcombe Toad Rescue is supported by VolkerHighways and Wessex Water.
VolkerHighways helps with the lane closure by providing signage for motorists at either end of the lane so they can use alternative routes, and Wessex Water provided a grant from the Wessex Water Environmental Fund which goes towards the costs of closing the lane.
The common toad is believed to be experiencing decline in the UK, in some cases caused by the effect of road traffic as toads travel slowly back to breeding ponds, often used for generations.
The volunteers are part of a national campaign named ‘Toads on Roads’, coordinated by the national wildlife charity Froglife, and supported by ARG UK, a national network of volunteer groups concerned with amphibian and reptile conservation.
Over the coming weeks, thousands of volunteers across the country will be preparing to help toads across roads in a coordinated effort to help save the common toad.
