Otter tunnel could divert mammals away from road

A tunnel for otters to help prevent them being killed as they try to cross a main road could be installed if funding can be secured.

The road connecting Bedminster and Hartcliffe in Bristol has habitats for the animals nearby, but they cannot access a culvert due to a flood prevention grille, leading them to risk the traffic.

Environmental campaigner Vassili Papastavrou first brought up the issue in 2023 but has resubmitted it to Bristol City Council.

A council officer said there were options, but they were costly, so money would need to be found.

Mr Papastavrou repeated his calls for action that he first made to then-mayor Marvin Rees in July 2023 to move or replace the huge metal barrier installed to stop flooding in South Bristol.

It covers the Pigeonhouse Stream as it enters a tunnel under Hartcliffe Way to stop debris clogging it up and creating floodwater on residential roads.

Since then, it has been discovered that otters are living at the Crox Bottom nature reserve, but at least two have been killed crossing the road above.

The grille is too narrow to allow the protected animals to enter the culvert across the stream that flows under the busy road, so they risk their lives by attempting to cross it.

In a letter to the council Mr Papastavrou said nothing appeared to have been done since he raised the issue more than 18 months ago.

A council officer explained an investigation also showed that if otters did manage to get into the culvert system, they could get trapped.

The two options would be changes to the culverts or a separate "mammal tunnel" underneath Hartcliffe Way, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Both are expensive, but the officer said funding "options exist" through the West of England Nature Partnership, made up of several organisations in the region.

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