5:53am Wednesday 12th March 2008
By Chris Yandell
FENCES should be built beside New Forest roads to cut the number of animals killed in accidents, it has been claimed.
Hampshire county councillor Alan Rice, a member of the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA), called for barriers to be built by roads where a large number of ponies have been killed.
Previous calls to fence roads have been rejected on the grounds that it would change the Forest's character and appearance.
But Councillor Rice said it was time to grasp the nettle and fence roads such as the B3054 from Dibden Purlieu to Hilltop.
He told fellow NPA members: "The minute you mention fencing there are gasps of horror. People say it would compartmentalise the Forest but look at the size of the compartments it would create.
"Everyone moans about animal accidents but nothing ever gets done."
Fellow NPA member Susan Achmatowicz said the authority should look at the possibility of installing "invisible" electric fencing in areas with high numbers of collisions.
Last year, 90 ponies, cows and donkeys were killed or injured on Forest roads. All the animals belonged to Commoners - villagers with the right to let their stock roam the area.
However, calls for extra fencing in the area received a cool response from other members of the NPA.
Peter Frost said: "When we have to fence the Forest we will have failed as a national park."
Members were discussing various ways of cutting the animal accident toll, including the use of more effective signs.
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