Badgers tunneling under a road in Lincolnshire have resulted in £100,000 worth of damage, according to a statement from the Lincolnshire County Council. These mammals created a sett beneath the A52 at Seaholme Road, located in the heart of Mablethorpe.
To prevent further deterioration of the road, emergency repairs must be performed. A council spokesperson mentioned that the repairs could not commence until they received a necessary license from Natural England, due to the protected status of badgers.
The council initially aimed to start repairs sooner but faced delays. With the license now granted, there is urgency to complete the work before time runs out. The spokesperson explained:
“All work on badger setts must be completed between July and the end of November so the repairs do not interfere with the badgers' mating season.”
Councillor Richard Davies stated:
“In total, these works are going to cost us an additional £100,000 to complete.”
The Mablethorpe area is already experiencing road closures on the A1104 for ongoing resurfacing work. Councillor Davies acknowledged that this has led to traffic flow issues in town. He noted that pausing the A1104 scheme was not feasible as it is currently at a critical phase:
“Our hands are tied about scheduling these conflicting works. We have no option but to get this additional programme up and running straight away.”
Davies expressed his frustration over the timing of the license issuance, stating it was “extremely frustrating” that it had not been received earlier.
As part of the conditions set by Natural England, all repair work must occur under a road closure to safeguard the badgers. The council plans to carry out repairs between 09:00 GMT and 16:00 GMT from Saturday, November 8, until Wednesday, November 20. Outside these hours, a three-way traffic light system will manage road use.
This incident highlights ongoing challenges faced by local authorities when balancing wildlife protection with essential infrastructure maintenance.
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