‘Invisible’ newts give bypass builders the run around

22 May 2008
 
A £15M Leicestershire bypass was delayed and pushed over budget in a bid to protect great crested newts, but none have been found on the site.

Initial investigations on the Earl Shilton site suggested there was between one and 10 of the protected creatures in the area, when some of their larvae were found in a pond, and work ground to a halt.

But, after three months, no great crested newts have been found.

The empty traps have angered council leader, David Parsons, who called on the Government to change the law. But ministers claim their hands are tied by Europe.

Matthew Lugg, the county’s director of highways transportation and waste management, said this wasn’t the only area affected by the newts, which are protected across the EU.

‘There have been a lot of stories about the newts and it’s not just highways projects which are affected,’ he said. This is a wider problem and is set to become more of an issue. Have we got the balance right?’

Lugg was angered about reports suggesting the delays cost the council £1M, but that time and costs could be recouped, if the good weather held out.

Earlier, waste minister, Joan Ruddock, told the Commons there had been ‘great loss’ of newts in this country when questioned about the £60,000 bill of moving four of them in Cheshire.

Sir Nicholas Winterton, Conservative MP for Macclesfield asked for the habitat Directive of the EU to be reviewed. But Ruddock said the regulations were necessary to protect endangered species.

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