Lincolnshire County Council is in a race against time to restore a road in the centre of Mablethorpe after badgers have tunnelled under it.
The badgers have dug under Seaholme Road in the town, and repairs must be finished before the end of November, after which it’s illegal to dig around badger setts. That would mean leaving the work until next July, with the road closed in the meantime.
Badgers are a protected species, all works on their setts have to be done between July and the end of November due to the badgers’ mating season. What’s more, a start in the work has been delayed whilst Natural England granted a licence, insisting that the road had to be closed during the work to keep the badgers safe.
Cllr Richard Davies said it was extremely frustrating that the council had not been given this licence until now, and the holdup meant that delays were inevitable for drivers.
