Moor Fence Campaign  (1)

SOUTH WEST EQUINE PROTECTION
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Moor Fence : More Sense
The case for fencing on Dartmoor

Ponies killed on the road

Why has the volume of traffic increased ?

Overall increase in car ownership

Increase in commuting traffic

Increase in tourism

 

Who is involved ?

During the Foot and Mouth crisis three years ago, the number of accidents was just as high as ever, even though tourism on Dartmoor was severly reduced.

This suggests that local drivers and commuters are most likely to be involved in accidents.

What attracts the livestock to the road ?

Accidents are most common during the winter when road salt attracts cattle and ponies to the highway.

Poor visibility and slippery road conditions increase the liklihood of accidents.
Crashed car Car invoved in rta
On the next page there are more details of Road Traffic Accident that SWEP has been asked to deal with. Please be warned these contain images that graphically illustrates the consequences of collisons between livestock and vehicles.
What has been done to reduce the carnage ?
  • A 40mph speed limit was introduced in 1997 but enforcement has been difficult. Although Devon & Cornwall Police have mounted campaigns to book speeding drivers (previously the Police have booked 33 drivers in only 3 hours), the road is notoriously fast and limited resources do not allow the Police to be omnipresent.
  • Although some statistics appear to show a reduction in the number of animal deaths, they do not take into account injured animals that are humanely destroyed after road accidents, or those found dead on the moor after fleeing from the accident scene.

Fencing appears to be the only sure fire way of preventing collisions between animals and fast moving vehicles.

Objections to fencing


Dartmoor National Park says that it would be a shame to sacrifice the open quality of the moor just because drivers may be speeding, and believes that the 40 mph speed limit introduced in 1997 should be enforced.

Whilst we can appreciate the reluctance to have fencing due to the visual aspect, who can object to the saving of life and limb, both human and livestock ? Most vistors to the moor do not stay by the road, but walk into the moor to enjoy its beauty and tranquility.

On the A388 between Mary Tavy and Lydford, the road was eventually fenced in 1997 after prolonged debate - although the fence is now barely noticable, the reduction in livestock and human injury has been enormous.