Bid to stop red squirrel deaths on Dales roads

Officials have been urged to take action to reduce the number of red squirrels being hit and killed by vehicles in the Yorkshire Dales.

Residents in the Widdale area, near Hawes, have contacted North Yorkshire Council and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority raising concerns about the issue.

The area of the Dales has become a stronghold for the native reds, which saw a decline nationally following the introduction of grey squirrels, as well as suffering due to habitat loss and diseases like squirrel pox.

Caroline Haworth, who runs Thorneymire Woodland Retreat, near Hawes, said they had found a number of dead red squirrels on the road near their business recently. “I think we are losing more red squirrels to cars than we do to grey squirrels. It’s really sad when we find them.
“We found a pregnant young female dead recently — it was heartbreaking. That will be four or five kits that we have lost, as well as their mother.”

The business owner said one of the reasons for the deaths was the number of vehicles using a narrow road called Lanacar Lane, which connects the A684 towards Sedbergh and the B6255 to Ingleton. “Unfortunately we’re on a cut-through and I don’t think Google Maps has helped the situation with drivers following their sat navs.  People fly down the lane. There’s not many passing places so I think people try to get through without meeting any other vehicles.”

Mrs Haworth has contacted the highways department at North Yorkshire Council and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority asking for help.

She hopes signage warning drivers of the presence of squirrels or that the road is a narrow, single-track lane will be installed. “My view is that we need to deter drivers from using the road as a cut-through. If we can reduce cars in general we can hopefully reduce fatalities.”

North Yorkshire Councillor for the Upper Dales, Yvonne Peacock, said she would also be raising the issue with the highways department.
“I think the road gets used as a rat-run and cars do go down there too fast. “Red squirrels are supposed to be protected and we need to do what we can to stop them from being run over.”

A spokesperson for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said: “We have been contacted by concerned residents about the issue of red squirrels coming into contact with traffic on Lanacar Lane near Appersett. We understand they will be raising this directly with North Yorkshire Highways, an approach we support.”