The UK currently has a lack of nature-friendly crossings across major roads. There’s now a plan to increase the network.
Under new proposals announced by National Highways, the number is now set to double throughout the Strategic Road Network within the next two years.
The organisation oversees maintenance and development of A roads and motorways across England, and has already begun construction of the first new ‘green bridges’. These will span the A556 near Chester and the A21 at Scotney Castle, Kent. A further three will soon follow, over the A30 in Cornwall, within the A417 Missing Link scheme outside Gloucester, and Wisley in Surrey as part of the M25 Junction 10 project.
European countries such as the Netherlands have a more established history of nature-friendly crossings, which originated in the France during the 1950s. The infrastructure is designed to help wildlife access both sides of a high capacity, high speed road without risk of being hit by passing vehicles. As a result, they support more resilient ecosystems and species colonies. They also offer a way for people to cross, boosting road safety, and are most effective when implemented within road and rail combined.
‘While roads have always connected people and places, they are too often a barrier for nature; severing habitats and contributing to the decline in biodiversity,’ said Steve Elderkin, Director of Environmental Sustainability at National Highways.
‘We have been investing in a huge range of nature-focussed enhancements, and at major project level, this includes large-scale engineered or landscape interventions such as building green bridges and helping to restore peatlands and meadows,’ he continued.’Our green bridges are designed to blend with the landscape and connect habitats, animals and people, leaving a lasting legacy which ensures nature thrives.’
National Highways is currently marking its third Nature Week in an effort to foster closer relationships with environmental, biodiversity and nature organisations across England. The company is one of the country’s largest landowners, and maintains 30,000 hectares of land classified as ‘green’ – including hedges, verges and other valuable habitats.
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