[All images courtesy of the Charlcombe Toad Patrol]
I am full of admiration for the volunteers who will be out on night patrol in the coming weeks to help a local population of amphibians reach their breeding grounds.
Charlcombe Lane in Bath will be closed, except for residents’ access, from today (Monday 9 February) until Sunday 29 March for the annual migration of toads, frogs and newts as they head to their breeding lake.
This is only one of five road closures in the UK and it has played a vital role in helping to keep the local population of amphibians stable during the last 23 years.
Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group volunteers will be out on patrol every night during the road closure from dusk onwards to help common toads, common frogs and newts on their journey.
Collectively they will spend more than 600 hours in high visibility jackets, armed with torches and buckets walking slowly up and down the road. Toads, frogs and newts are carefully picked up with latex-free, powder-free gloves, to avoid any chemicals from volunteer hands affecting them, and taken safely in buckets to drop off points to help them on their way towards the lake.
Last year more than fifty volunteers helped 3,995 amphibians across a half mile stretch of Charlcombe Lane on the northern edge of Bath in Somerset during the migration season. This takes the total number recorded over the last twenty-three years of the patrol to more than 50,000.
The 2025 patrol saw the second highest number of amphibians recorded since the road closure started in 2003; and it had a significant first, with a great crested newt seen for the first time in the patrol’s history. Two of the three best years for the patrol were last year and 2024, with the busiest ever year for the patrol back in 2010 [1].
It was the best year for frogs (1,424) and palmate newts (1,194) since the patrol began and with 1,376 toads helped across the road 2025 was their best year since 2010.
Before the closure of Charlcombe Lane the casualty rate (the percentage of amphibians that did not make it across the road) was sixty-two per cent and in 2025 it was three per cent.
Helen Hobbs, who has been managing Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group since 2003, said: “Closing Charlcombe Lane, with the support of the local community, has been a game changer. It has meant that our population of toads, frogs and newts have been able to buck national trends and stand a fighting chance of flourishing.
“With a changing climate it is becoming increasingly difficult to predict the peak times for amphibian movements, that is why closing the road for six weeks makes such a difference. Last year the peak movement was 19–23 February, in 2024 it was slightly earlier in mid-February and in 2023 it was mid-late March.”
Bath and North East Somerset Council has supported the patrol and road closure since 2003, however the Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group fundraises to pay for the advertising costs around the road closure, and VolkerHighways sponsor the Group with the provision of signage each year.
Charlie Cox, Project Manager for VolkerHighways, said: “We are proud to support such a worthy group, who are working to improve and save the lives of thousands of amphibians each year. The work the Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group does is hugely impressive, and we are delighted that we are able to contribute to its successful work.”
Last year a team of scientists used data collected by toad patrols to explore what has been happening to the population of common toads across the UK. The research demonstrated that the common toad population has declined by 41 per cent in just 40 years [2].
The biggest challenges facing amphibians today include road traffic, loss of habitat, such as the disappearance of ponds, and the fragmentation of habitats due to the intensification of farming and development. A changing climate is also adversely affecting amphibians with milder winters leading to them waking up from their hibernation more frequently.
There are currently more than 280 patrols across the UK helping amphibians during the migration season.
All the data collected by patrollers is collated by conservation charity Froglife and in 2025 over 199,562 amphibians were given a helping hand across A roads or quiet country lanes [3]. New research by Froglife has shown that in the last 50 years thousands of volunteers have helped more than two million toads to cross roads across the UK [4].
Sheila Gundry, Head of Operations at Froglife, said: “Charlcombe Lane Toad Patrol is a wonderful wildlife success story. The volunteers are really committed and effective, with long term expertise on how best to save amphibians as they cross the road.
“The Road Closure makes a significant difference and we really appreciate the support of the local residents. The local landowners do a great job of looking after the breeding lake and foraging grounds. As a result of this support from all sides, we have a fantastic, healthy amphibian population.”
They do the same in Tuckers Lane in Monkton Combe. Or they did last year. Should be done more.
This is wonderful work that they do, it may feel like a drop in the vast ocean, nevertheless it is a great step in the right direction.
Last year I had no frogs or toads in my pond, for my pond is too far away from other sources of water, none of my neighbours have ponds to sustain this biodiversity and the results at my pond demonstrate this.
I wonder if the Group would consider passing on a few of the saved amphibians to people such as Dr Pankhania, or myself, (or to schools), who have suitable ponds & gardens? Like Dr P, we have always had these little visitors in our garden for years, but last year, saw none.
You shouldn’t relocate amphibians or spawn due to risk of spreading disease.
The amphibians in Charlcombe don’t need relocating they just need a little help to move over/around man made structures which are blocking their migration routes which leave them vulnerable to cars.