Fatal cow strike prompts renewed speed limit calls

Animal had to be put down

A COW has had to be put down after being struck by a vehicle on Hungerford Common.

The motorist did not stop, as required by law, and appeared to have been exceeding the 40mph speed limit, from a skid mark left at the scene.

The fatality is the latest in a series of similar incidents and has led to renewed calls for the speed limit to be reduced.

Constable of the Town and Manor of Hungerford, Susan Hofgartner, said the grim discovery was made on Tuesday, June 2, by former Constable Roger King, who checks the commoners’ herd on a daily basis.

She added: “Its leg was almost severed and the poor animal was holed up in a thicket.

“It was so badly injured it couldn’t be moved and sadly we had to call someone out to put it down.

“I checked the road nearby and saw fresh tyre marks.

“Obviously someone had come to a screeching halt and the marks were so long it certainly suggested the driver was exceeding the speed limit.”

Both commoners and farmers, who buy rights to graze their cattle from the Town and Manor, produce a summer grazing herd of about 175 cattle.

The income from the sale of grazing rights goes towards the cost of maintaining the Common Port Down.

Commons secretary and Trustee of the Town and Manor, Robert James, has repeatedly campaigned for a lesser speed limit to protect livestock from repeated injury.

This has so far been resisted by the highways authority, West Berkshire Council.

In addition, calls for more speed limit signs were rejected on the grounds that this represented an “urbanisation of the environment”.

Hungerford Town Council has identified the issue as a “medium” priority, however, and last year vowed to press the district council again when another accident happened.

Last year, the Hungerford neighbourhood police team issued a statement, after witnessing motorists nudging cows out of the way with their vehicles.

The statement said: “We have had several incidents on the common involving injuries and the death of cows caused by undue care and attention of drivers.”

They condemned the “totally unacceptable behaviour” of drivers and pleaded with motorists to observe the speed limit.

They also reminded them, “if you do have an accident with a cow you must report it to the police.

“Failure to do this is an offence under the Road Traffic act 1988.”

Mrs Hofgartner said: “We would ask drivers to be vigilant on the common.

“Quite apart from the humane consideration, a cow strike can cause a lot of damage to a vehicle.

“We do feel, too, that 40mph is unacceptably high.

“It wouldn’t be allowed outside a school, for example.”

If anyone has any information about the latest incident, they are urged to contact the police via the 101 number.

Alternatively the independent Crimestoppers charity can be contacted on 0800 555 111.

The incident number is URN916020615.