‘Six lanes of tarmac and vehicles doing 70mph’: can ‘green bridges’ help animals cross the UK’s motorways in safety? (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 1 day ago by GreyShuck@feddit.uk to c/nature@feddit.uk

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When James Herd moved near to Wisley Common 17 years ago, the heathland nature reserve was teeming with wildlife. “I’d take the dog around the common in spring and summer, and every few hundred metres I’d hear the rustle of a lizard in the undergrowth – and I’d see adders,” he says.

But over the past decade, the Surrey Wildlife Trust’s director of reserves management, who oversees the internationally important habitat, has seen that wildlife become depleted.

“There was a period, eight or nine years ago, when I’d get home and think: ‘God, I didn’t see or hear any evidence of reptiles.’”

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[-] matelt@feddit.uk 4 points 1 day ago

I drove up and down the A1 yesterday and other than the amount of blown tyres remnants, I was utterly saddened to see so many dead animals on the side of the road. There were deers, foxes, bunnies, birds of prey, magpies and unidentified remains.

I don't even want to imagine the amount of little ones I could not see, absolutely heartbreaking.

A few bridges here and there might be useful but where the road is level with the ground, will the animals understand they have to get to the bridge to cross? It seems quite a hassle, why don't we instead build all the motorways underground, the wildlife would not have to suffer anymore. (Yes I know it's a terrible idea but one can dream right?)

[-] Zombie@feddit.uk 4 points 1 day ago

Unfortunately the best solution is likely the hardest. Societal, cultural change. Reduce the amount of traffic significantly.

Instead of us all driving about in our own personal bubbles we need increased public transport. More buses and trains, means less traffic, means less collisions with animals (and pollution).

But fuck me is that an uphill battle that's been getting fought for decades. Bridges may ease the destruction, and they should be encouraged, but they can't be allowed to be viewed as a solution by the public. "It's fine now, we've got the bridges". Because as you say animals won't understand to only cross at the occasional crossing point, miles apart from each other.

this post was submitted on 13 May 2026

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