Volunteers Save Over 3,600 Toads, Frogs and Newts in Record Bath Road Patrol Season
More than fifty dedicated volunteers with the Charlcombe Toad Patrol in Bath have completed another remarkable season, safely escorting 3,626 toads, frogs, and newts across a busy road during their annual migration — the third consecutive year the patrol has helped over 3,000 amphibians to safety.
The patrol, which operates on the northern edge of Bath, has now helped over 55,000 amphibians cross Charlcombe Lane safely over 24 seasons, making it one of the most successful wildlife conservation community efforts in the UK.
Background
The Charlcombe Toad Patrol is one of 280 patrols across the UK participating in the national Toads on Roads project, managed by the amphibian and reptile conservation charity Froglife. Each spring, thousands of toads, frogs, and newts attempt to cross roads to reach their ancestral breeding ponds, with many falling victim to traffic. The Charlcombe patrol was established to address this problem on a particularly dangerous stretch of Charlcombe Lane.
Key Developments
This year's patrol was notably successful, with 2026 being the best year for toads (1,547) since 2012, the second best for palmate newts (1,015), and the fourth best for frogs (1,064) since the road closure began in 2003. Volunteers spent 645 hours in high-visibility jackets, using torches, buckets, and special gloves to carefully transport amphibians to five drop-off points.
Patrol Manager Helen Hobbs highlighted the significance of these consistent numbers, especially against a national trend of declining amphibian populations. The annual seven-week road closure in February and March, supported by Bath and North East Somerset Council, is credited as crucial to the patrol's success, reducing the casualty rate for amphibians from 62% to just 6%.
Why It Matters
The Charlcombe Toad Patrol is a wonderful example of community conservation in action. The dedication of over fifty volunteers, giving up hundreds of hours of their time to protect vulnerable wildlife, is an inspiring story of people making a real difference for nature in their local area.
What's Next
The patrol will continue its work next spring. Full details of the patrol's achievements are available at Bath Newseum.
