Road closed for six weeks for toad migration

7 hours ago

News image — Thousands of toads, frogs and newts will cross the half-mile stretch of road

Charlcombe Toad Rescue A close up of a toad as it sits on the road. It is lit up by bright lighting and is yellow, brown and light green in colour. — Thousands of toads, frogs and newts will cross the half-mile stretch of road

A six-week road closure has been put in place to allow toads, frogs and newts to cross to their breeding grounds.

Charlcombe Lane, near Bath in Somerset, will be closed until 29 March so more than 3,000 amphibians can reach their ancestral breeding lake in the valley below.

Volunteers from the Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group will go out on patrol each night at dusk and spend more than 600 hours helping them on their journey across the half-mile (0.8km) stretch of road.

Helen Hobbs, manager of the group, said: "With a changing climate it is becoming increasingly difficult to predict the peak times for amphibian movements, that is why closing the road for six weeks makes such a difference."

She added that the closure had helped the population of the creatures buck national trends and stand "a fighting chance of flourishing".

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The road has been closed each spring since 2003 with the agreement of Bath and North East Somerset Council.

It is one of only four closures of its kind in the UK and has helped to keep the local population of amphibians stable during the past 20 years.

Amphibians are key to maintaining ecosystems. Toads and frogs are predators to many insects and prey for bigger animals, while newts help to maintain balance by controlling pests.

Frogs can also signal problems with an environment due to their susceptibility to pollution.

PA Media A person dressed in a yellow high vis jacket walking down a dark lane. They are holding a torch and shining it on the road. They are carrying a bucket. — Volunteers patrol Charlcombe Lane and help the amphibians on their journeys

While the closures are in place, volunteers are able to pick up the creatures — using latex-free gloves to avoid contamination — before they are safely transported to drop-off points near the breeding lake.

In 2025, more than 50 volunteers helped 3,995 amphibians across the road, taking the total number recorded over the past 23 years to more than 50,000.

According to scientists, the biggest challenges facing amphibians include climate change, road traffic, loss of habitat, such as the disappearance of ponds, and the fragmentation of habitats due to the intensification of farming and development.

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