A volunteer-run toad patrol in Bath has helped thousands of amphibians safely cross a busy road this year, defying wider national concerns about falling toad numbers.
A frog during the closure of Charlcombe Lane | Photo © Jonathan Lidster
More than 50 volunteers from Charlcombe Toad Patrol helped 3,626 toads, frogs and newts across a half-mile stretch of Charlcombe Lane during the 2026 migration season.
The latest total takes the number of amphibians recorded by the patrol over 24 seasons to more than 55,000.
The group is part of Froglife’s national Toads on Roads project and is one of 280 patrols across the UK taking part.
This year marked the third year in a row that more than 3,000 amphibians have been collected and safely moved across Charlcombe Lane. It was the third busiest year in the patrol’s history, behind last year and 2010.
The 2026 season was the best for toads since 2012, with 1,547 recorded. Volunteers also counted 1,015 palmate newts, the second highest total since the road closure began in 2003, and 1,064 frogs, the fourth highest figure over the same period.
Charlcombe Lane is closed each year for seven weeks in February and March while volunteers patrol the route every evening from dusk, helping amphibians reach their breeding lake. This year, patrollers spent a combined 645 hours on the road, equipped with torches, buckets, gloves and high-visibility clothing.
Helen Hobbs, patrol manager, said: “This feels like a significant year for the Charlcombe population with more than 3,000 amphibians helped by volunteers for three years in a row. Against a background of many patrols seeing declining numbers of amphibians, having a relatively stable population really matters.”
She said changing weather patterns were making migration harder to predict, adding that the seven-week road closure had become increasingly important.
Volunteer Jonathan Lidster said the annual migration had become one of the highlights of the year, describing it as hugely rewarding to help toads, frogs and newts on their journey to the lake.
Froglife says research published last year found that common toad numbers across the UK have fallen by 41% over the past 40 years.
But Sheila Gundry, the charity’s head of operations and a local patroller, said Charlcombe was “bucking the national trend” thanks to the temporary road closure, support from surrounding landowners and the creation of two new ponds at Charlcombe Community Nature Reserve.
Bath & North East Somerset Council has supported the patrol and road closure since 2003, while VolkerHighways provides signage each year.
