A two week lighting trial on the Humber Bridge began yesterday evening (Monday 16 May). This small scale trial on the north side of the Humber Bridge will not show what will happen on the south bank or provide any conclusive evidence of the impact on wildlife. The Trust is calling for people to take part in the accompanying consultation to ensure that wildlife is not forgotten.
The Humber Estuary is internationally important for wildlife. Hundreds of thousands of birds migrate along the estuary every year and the vast mudflats provide food for over-wintering, migrating and breeding birds such as knot, pink-footed geese and golden plover. The neighbouring reedbeds and wetlands are home to around 10% of the British breeding population of bittern, as well as marsh harrier, bearded tit and kingfisher. The estuary is also important for a wide range of invertebrates, fish and other wildlife. It is one large and exceptionally rich ecosystem with its habitats, flora and fauna all inextricably linked.
The importance of the estuary can be seen in its national and international designations. The entire estuary, covering 37000 hectares, is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and large areas are nature reserves. As recently as last month, the Trust's Far Ings reserve was declared a National Nature Reserve.
Many local people are justifiably proud of the wildlife of the Humber Estuary. The region is seeing an increase in green tourism with more people visiting to walk and birdwatch along the south Humber bank and visit Far Ings National Nature Reserve and the newly established Waters' Edge Country Park.
Caroline Steel, the Trusts' Assistant Director (Conservation) said "The Trust has deep reservations about the impact additional lighting will have on wildlife. Any affects, such as disruption to migration or poor breeding success of birds, will only be seen over the long term and will be extremely difficult to determine from a two week trial."
"The designations given to the estuary under European and UK law are there to ensure the survival of this unique natural environment. European legislation is set up under a precautionary principle and there is serious doubt here about the impact on wildlife, if the full lighting scheme goes ahead it will be too late. The proposers must convince the authorities and the general public that the internationally important populations of birds using the estuary will not be affected. They must be able to show that there are imperative reasons of overriding public interest that mean the project must go ahead."
Lionel Grooby, the Trusts' North Lincolnshire Warden, witnessed the first evening of the trial and commented "There isn't the same spillage of light as in previous trials but the end result is the same: a wall of white light spanning the Humber and the National Nature Reserve hinterland and the most important east - west flyway for migrating birds in England not to mention the Lincolnshire/Yorkshire Wolds North-South migrant route. If this scheme ever came to fruition then many more birds than now would be killed by colliding with the bridge, especially in any misty weather which there is quite a lot of on an estuary. The Humber light wall may also deter some birds from going up river at all."
What you can do to help the wildlife of the Humber Estuary
Running alongside the two week trial of the lighting scheme on the Humber Bridge is a public consultation.
Voice your concerns about the impact of additional lighting on wildlife by writing to:
Dr Jeff Lunn
Humber to Pennines Team
English Nature
Bull Ring House
Northgate
Wakefield
WF1 3BJ
humber.pennines@english-nature.org.uk
Peter Hill, Bridgemaster
Humber Bridge Board
Ferriby Road
Hessle
East Yorkshire
HU13 0JG
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