‘Outrageous’: Road rebuild BLOCKED until July to protect handful of badgers – villagers stuck with 36-MILE detour

The leader of North Lincolnshire Council has called on Natural England to take urgent, pragmatic action so the repairs to College Road in East Halton can be fast-tracked.

Residents, farmers and local businesses face growing disruption, safety risks and the potential loss of vital services after environment bosses have closed down any repair work until July next year.

Cllr Rob Waltham, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “It is frankly outrageous that protections affecting a handful of badgers during mating season mean six months of total inaction on a failing road

“An entire village is left to live with danger, disruption and the slow erosion of its local services.

“We respect the importance of protecting wildlife, but the current situation has tipped completely out of balance. Farmers are being prevented from running their businesses properly, residents are facing daily disruption, and a vital village post office is now under threat.”

The council has already taken significant steps to resolve the issue responsibly, including building an alternative badger sett to allow repairs to go ahead. However, the badgers returned to their original sett.

As a result, legal protections linked to the badger mating season now mean no work can take place until 1 July 2026, blocking repairs for six months and leaving residents, farmers and businesses facing diversions up to 36-miles.

The council has completed a full technical assessment of the site and has moved to detailed design work to rebuild the section of rural road.

Cllr Waltham, who recently met residents and businesses with Martin Vickers MP, added: “This is no longer a speculative issue or a minor inconvenience – it is a real and growing danger to public safety and the future of the community and our hands are completely tied.

“Natural England needs to take urgent, pragmatic action to break the deadlock and allow essential repairs to be fast-tracked.

“We are firmly behind the residents of East Halton,” added Cllr Waltham. “They deserve safe roads, viable businesses and access to the services that keep a village thriving – and we will continue pressing for action until that happens.”

Since full legal protection was introduced in 1992, badger numbers have risen sharply – with estimates suggesting the population has roughly doubled.