Simpler road signs to protect small animals and boost safety

Hedgehogs and other small animals will be better protected on English roads under rule changes announced recently to make it easier for local authorities to put up wildlife warning signs.

The current hedgehog sign will be updated following feedback from the sector to make it clearer for drivers. Alongside this, rules around the small wildlife warning signs will be relaxed to make it easier for local authorities to put up small wildlife warning signs, helping to better protect hedgehogs and other small animals.

Changes made by the Department for Transport will ensure local authorities are able to place small wild animal warning signs where they are needed most rather than having to apply to the Department on a case-by-case basis.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, who visited a hedgehog rescue centre to see, first hand, what treatment is on offer to road victims, said: “These common sense changes will lead to more small animal signs across the country, cutting down on bureaucracy to help protect both drivers and small animals, improving safety on our roads and making sure fewer casualties are checked in to wildlife hospitals like these.”

The small animal warning sign depicts a hedgehog and was first introduced in 2019. As well as cutting the restrictive red tape preventing them being placed, the Government has also refreshed the design by adding white quills to the hedgehog’s back. This will improve clarity and make it more visible from a distance for all road users.  

The changes will also help protect vital crossing routes for hedgehogs and other small mammals, particularly on rural roads. Hedgehog numbers in particular have dropped by 30-75% in rural areas since the millennium, with traffic a major factor in the decline. 

The announcement will help reduce bureaucracy for local authorities, allowing them to focus their resources more effectively on delivering for their communities and follows recent announcements committing to improving conditions for motorists across the UK under the Plan for Drivers and Network North.