More goat warning signs needed, say residents

Conwy council says it uses approved wild animal signs like this, but not goat-specific warnings

Residents in a north Wales town are calling for more signage after a small herd of goats were killed after being hit by a vehicle.

Four goats died earlier this month when they were hit on the A470 at Wormhout Way, Llandudno, Conwy county.

Goats have roamed Llandudno and Craig y Don since the pandemic lockdowns, when they moved from the Great Orme into the area’s empty streets.

The council said it used highways-approved wild animals signs on its roads, but would not fence in the animals due to the risk of the authority becoming solely responsible for their welfare.

Grandmother-of-four Wendy Keenan is leading a campaign, asking the council to install better signs to warn drivers that the animals may venture onto the roads.

“They do need to do something. Four goats were killed and it really upset me. I’m an animal lover and a vegan. I just feel that nobody seems to be looking after those goats,” she said.

“They just seem to be wandering, and I’ve always worried there might be an accident. People come to town, and they might not even know about the goats. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and now it has.”

She added the road where the accident happened was on the way to Ysgol Creuddyn, meaning there could be a risk to children travelling to and from school caused by animals in the road.

“The goats are really important to Llandudno. It is unique, isn’t it?” she said.

“You can’t go anywhere in the world where you’ve got goats roaming freely, and people do come here to catch a glimpse of them in town.”

The Great Orme goats have been wandering the area since they ventured there during the pandemic

Conwy council has been working with Llandudno town council, Mostyn Estates, Natural Resources Wales, and the RSPCA to create a plan to manage the animals and minimise conflict with residents.

Last year, it revealed there were 153 goats on the Great Orme, including a small group grazing around Nant y Gamar Road in Craig y Don.

But councillor Louise Emery said the council was restricted in which signs it could use, explaining deer signs are already up around St David’s College where the accident occurred.

“If you put signs up on roads, they’ve got to be official highway approved,” she said.

“I don’t believe we need signs all over the town because it is only in the short months between winter and spring we see them down in the town.”

A Conwy county council spokeswoman said the authority and its partners “occasionally relocate goats back to the Great Orme if there is an unacceptable risk to human or animal welfare”, adding animal signs were in place to warn drivers.