Highways Bulletin May 19 – Protecting Wildlife During Roadworks

Published on: 18 May, 2025
Updated on: 18 May, 2025

The information for this bulletin comes from Surrey County Council and is written by them.

Report potholes and highway issues here.

Further information on Guildford Borough Council’s Ash Road Bridge works is available on the council’s dedicated webpage.

Protecting Rare Wildlife During Essential Highway Works

At Surrey Highways, we’re committed not only to maintaining and improving our roads and infrastructure – but also to protecting the rare and important wildlife that calls our county home.

During the Easter break, a nesting Grey Wagtail was discovered within one of our active work sites. In line with our environmental commitments and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, we have temporarily paused work in the area to protect the nest.

Stefan Jankowski, Infrastructure Team Leader said “Grey Wagtails are classed as an ‘amber-listed’ species due to their declining population in the UK. They are less tolerant of human activity than more common birds and may abandon their nest if disturbed. That’s why our ecologists advised a temporary pause, allowing the young birds time to fledge safely.”

While this work is on hold, our teams have been redeployed to other key projects across Surrey – ensuring continued progress on vital work like bridge and culvert maintenance to keep our network safe and moving. The paused site is being kept under regular surveillance to ensure both wildlife safety and site security.”

We thank residents for their understanding and continued support as we balance our infrastructure responsibilities with the protection of Surrey’s beautiful natural environment.

Find out more about the Grey Wagtail here: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/larks-sparrows-pipits-wagtails-and-dunnock/grey-wagtail

For details of roadworks in the Guildford area please click here.