Roads

Road Schemes

The large array of road network in place, in progress and planned provides a challenge for wildlife, in particular bats to continue utilising the landscape. Bat Eco Services provides the necessary opportunities to determine the potential impact of roads on bats during the Constraints Study, Route Corridor Selection and the Environmental Impact Statement. The findings arising from the assessment of each stage assists the final design of the road scheme. In addition, we provide important advisory service during road construction and monitoring requirements.

Bat Eco Services employs the extensive use of acoustic technology to ensure that the appropriate level of information is gathered to meet your bat ecological needs (see What is a bat survey?). This is combined with desk-top studies to gather all available information on local bat populations.

Bats are observed by the following techniques:

• Foot-based bat detector surveys of surrounding landscape and along the landtake
• Dusk and Dawn surveys of buildings and trees in the surrounding landscape and along the landtake
• Acoustic surveying of commuting routes adjacent to proposed road schemes

Bat Eco Services undertake surveys and guidance from the following documents:

• National Roads Authority (2006) Guidelines for the Treatment of Bats During the Construction of National Road Schemes.
• National Roads Authority (2006) Best Practice Guidelines for the Conservation of Bats in the Planning of National Road Schemes.