Pilot schemes to detect deer on roads in bid to reduce collisions to be rolled out in Kerry next month

Accidents involving deer occur on an almost daily basis in Killarney and surrounding areas.

A pilot scheme to detect deer on public roads to reduce collisions will be rolled out in Kerry next month.

Experts believe the number of deer in Kerry has increased significantly in recent years, with deer paths created far from the traditional location at Killarney National Park.

There is no national strategy to reduce the number of deer wandering onto roads, and the Kerry pilot schemes will be used as a template for a national strategy by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

Technology used to reduce bird strikes on airplanes and an innovative detect-and-alert scheme in place in Austria are set to be deployed as part of the Kerry project.

Sika, introduced from Japan in the 19th century, along with native red deer, almost extinct in the 1960s, are estimated to number in the thousands now in Killarney and surrounding areas, with road collisions occurring on an almost daily basis.

Injured deer are a regular occurrence and there have been calls for increased signage near established deer paths, as well as a central number for the public to report injured deer.

Frank Hartnett, Kerry’s director of roads, outlined how the new project will take place over six months before its effectiveness will be reviewed.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service has ruled out requests to erect fencing at accident prone spots as unfeasible. 

Chief executive of Kerry County Council Fearghal Reidy confirmed two "advanced technology pilot schemes" would be rolled out.

A 'detection and alert’ scheme will be delivered on the outskirts of Killarney on the N70 near Ballydowney, where a large number of deer cross the road between the National Park and nearby agricultural land. 

The second initiative, the ‘deterrent system’, is a joint initiative between Kerry County Council, University College Cork and the minister of state at the Department of Agriculture, Michael Healy-Rae.

It utilises technology to identify deer approaching busy roads. An audible alarm is then activated to discouraged the deer from crossing the road when vehicles are present. 

This scheme will be initially trialled on the R569 between Kilgarvan and the N22 Killarney to Cork Road.

University College Cork will monitor both schemes, collating the data and analysing its effectiveness.

This article was funded by the Local Democracy Scheme