Smallbrook Road in Warminster will be shut for motor vehicles from February 1^st to April 30^th each year so the toads of the town can cross safely.  The road goes through Smallbrook Meadows nature reserve, and, in the council’s words, “Toads migrate to their ancestral breeding ponds and are required to cross Smallbrook Road during their breeding season.”

Toad numbers are declining rapidly in the UK, though those in Warminster are fortunate in having a group of volunteers protecting them.  In fact in their justification for the road closure WC says its purpose is not just to stop toads getting squished, but also to protect members of the Smallbrook Toad Crossing Patrol, who are out to save the toads and help them over the road.

Human protection from vehicles can only be taken so far though – suggestions from residents that the road should be permanently closed were rejected by WC.

Not everyone supported the closure – some drivers pointed out that not all toads were getting killed by traffic, and the closure could add to congestion in the town.  There were also complaints about the cost, which is being met by the town council.

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