New Forest animal deaths: Pony owner calls for speed cameras

Commoner Sarah Weston said she is unwilling to let remaining ponies graze on the open forest

Motorists are "playing Russian roulette" with grazing livestock in the New Forest, the owner of a pony killed by a car has said.

Sarah Weston set up a petition calling for average speed cameras after her four-year-old pony, Juma, was hit in August. It has, so far, been signed by more than 54,000 people.

A further three animals died on the forest's roads on Saturday.

Police have previously said there was no justification or funding available.

Ms Weston, who has put ponies out on the forest for 16 years, said she had an "empty hollow feeling" after Juma was killed on 7 August on the B3078 Roger Penny Way.

Four-year-old Juma was killed on the B3078 Roger Penny Way

Her online petition calls for average speed cameras on the road, where four ponies and three donkeys were also killed in two collisions at the end of last year.

"It just shows how many people support a reasonable action to stop animals being killed on the roads," she said of the petition.

"People are just driving too fast for the conditions - they are playing Russian roulette with our ponies.

"The ponies and the other animals bring in millions of pounds to the New Forest but no-one is willing to spend money on protecting them."

'Bad night'

New Forest Roads Awareness, which has also campaigned for average speed cameras, said two horses and a cow were killed on New Forest roads on Saturday.

"This was a truly bad night and a good reminder that, as the nights close in, anyone who drives across the New Forest has to be so careful," it said.

Data published by the National Park Authority shows overall animal road deaths are at a 30-year low, despite more animals grazing in the forest.

Fifty animals died on the roads in 2020.

Hampshire Constabulary previously said there was "no policing justification" or funding available to install number plate recognition technology.

New Forest District Council is due to debate the issue next month.

The New Forest is one of the largest remaining areas of unenclosed land where commoners' cattle, ponies and donkeys roam throughout the open heath.

Roger Penny Way is among the worst areas for animal deaths on New Forest roads