HA defends costly newt rescue

The Highways Agency (HA) has defended the £300,000 cost of relocating a colony of great-crested newts amid national media criticism.

The amphibian roadblocks were discovered during a £51.4m improvement project on the A1157 Deeside Park Junction in Cheshire, undertaken by Mowlem (now Carillion).

The Daily Mail calculated that since conservationists had only recovered 15 of the creatures by last weekend, the HA had effectively spent around £20,000 per newt.

Speaking to CJ, HA spokesman John Murphy pointed out that the HA was obliged to relocate great-crested newts under European legislation. He said: “We will take whatever steps are needed and are unapologetic about it.”

Murphy also pointed out that the conservation measures would not hold up the project. “The work to detect local flora and fauna was scheduled as part of the scheme – it was not something added at the last minute and will not have delayed it.”

At the last count, 17 newts had been rescued.

Small newt, big bill:

• 24km of plastic fencing - £150,000
• 3,000 specialised traps - £28,000
• Cost of monitoring - £100,000

[Contract Journal, 15 November 2006, p 1]