Letter: The two New Forest roads which need fencing

SIR – There have been many ideas put forward to reduce the animal deaths on the open Forest, most have been tried and failed miserably and others were too difficult to police.

But let's put things in perspective; before the A31 and A35 etc were fenced and the perimeter enclosed, the death toll was well over 300 per year.

That does that not answer the question. Fence the B3078 and the B3054, the main commuter routes, with adequate underpasses for the movement of the livestock.

I have never felt any less appreciation of the New Forest driving along the fenced road. I think the amount of traffic these days and the greater speeds justifies this being done. Having witnessed a foal being killed a few years ago, the lady driving was not speeding, but she had no chance to avoid it due to the circumstances.

So not all accidents are caused by speed. How many times have you driven behind a vehicle at night and they do not use their main headlights when there is nothing coming from the other way, for maximum visibility.

Then there is the lack of concentration and looking well ahead – when you drive behind a car and the driver is continually turning their head to talk to the passenger, or fiddling with the radio or mobile phone.

Fencing of the two above roads would give all areas alternative access to fenced roads to cross the Forest more safely.

The fencing of the A31 and A35 has not spoilt the Forest at all, but it's safer for the animals. You are not fencing the animals from the roads but the vehicles from the animals. One dead animal is too many.

E Holtham,
Holbury