Animals on the Highway!

Cattle SignIn the winter months we published a reminder about the dangers of ungritted roads. Now a summer hazard is being highlighted by West Mercia Police. A recent Neighbourhood Watch message reads:

A timely reminder for Shropshire county road users.

Recent fatal accidents on Shropshire roads remind drivers to take care on the county’s roads and to remain alert at all times for unexpected hazards, especially on the narrower, twisting, rural highways. As well as reports of broken down vehicles, erratic, selfish and apparently drunken drivers, or faulty traffic lights and railway crossings, Shropshire police receive numerous calls about livestock roaming on local roads.
During the week between Monday 16 – Tuesday 24 June, fifteen calls relating to animals on Shropshire roads were received.
Cows were at large at Norton in Hales (17 June,) on Crackley Bank (A5, 21 June) and at Lea Cross (A488, 22 June.)
A dead cow or calf blocked the Much Wenlock to Church Stretton road for a while on 23 June.
Sheep were loose on bends near Marshbrook (A49, 16 June) and on the Kinlet to Cleobury Mortimer road (Tues 24 June).
A sow was hit by a vehicle on the A49 near Church Stretton on Sunday 22 June.
Horses have been roaming the roads near the army training grounds at Nesscliffe on two occasions (19 and 21 June.)
A deer was killed on the A4169 Broseley to Much Wenlock road near Wyke on 18 June and three fawns were reported frolicking in the Ludlow to Overton road on 23 June.
Two adult swans and six cygnets caused delays on the Newcastle road at Market Drayton on 16 June.
In Shrewsbury three incidents involving dogs loose among traffic were reported.

26 June 2014