The Highways Agency was expecting to find the creatures as part of the normal environmental surveys it carries out for construction projects, which also require measures to be taken to safely relocate them...
...“We allowed time in the schedule to catch them and move them to safety in a hibernaculum nearby, which means we’re still able to start work on building the roundabout later this year.
When the possible presence of protected species is incorporated into the project brief and appropriate surveys undertaken, mitigation work can be accomplished without unnecessary delays.