New scheme aims to protect Dartmoor’s ponies from traffic accidents

80 Dartmoor ponies have been fitted with reflective neck bands in a bid to reduce the number of fatal collisions with cars by making them more visible to drivers

On 24 June the radical new scheme to reduce the number of ponies being hit by cars was launched. The idea of reflective neck bands was put forward by Dartmoor Forest Parish Council and came to fruition as a result of a successful bid for funding by Vision Zero South West – a coalition of different organisations committed to reducing the number of road accidents in the region to zero.

Parish Council member, Mark Williams, said: “Collisions involving vehicles hitting animals are unfortunately very frequent. There were 117 incidents on Dartmoor in 2021 and most result in the death of the animal.”

The ponies who’ve been fitted with neckbands are those living close to the B3212, the busiest of the two main roads that transect Dartmoor between Plymouth and Princetown. The road is unfenced with a 40mph speed limit and is a high collision route.

Karla McKechnie, Dartmoor Livestock Protection Officer, said: “These unfenced roads become death traps unless motorists are animal aware. I’m sickened and saddened by the high number of collisions I attend involving dead and dying animals.”

As well as the neckbands, the funding secured by Vision Zero South West has been used to install new signage to alert drivers to when they’re speeding and make them aware of the livestock they’ll encounter on the road.

Mark Williams continued: “These neck bands have proved very successful in the New Forest, where there’s free roaming livestock. We hope that they’ll raise driver awareness and the need for caution and reduced speed when travelling on this stretch of road. If it proves successful, then we hope to roll it out on other key routes across the moor.”

If you’re visiting Dartmoor over the summer and witness any animal in distress, call 07873587561 or for more information about this scheme, visit visionzerosouthwest.co.uk