UK: LONDON: TRAFALGAR SQUARE PIGEONS (V)

(19 Jan 2001) Voice and effects
VOICED BY RICHARD VAUGHAN
XFA
After Friday, pigeons may still flock to London's Trafalgar Square, but pigeon lovers can no longer buy food to feed to them.

Tourists have flocked to the famous spot for more than a hundred years to enjoy the sights and to feed the pigeons, but now a ban has been imposed on selling pigeon food in the square.

The attempt to dramatically reduce the numbers of pigeons at this major tourist attraction has ruffled a few feathers.

But the authorities say the birds carry a variety of diseases and it costs more than 100-thousand pounds sterling (approximately 160-thousand U-S dollars) annually to clean away the bird droppings.

0002
Pigeons have long flocked to London's Trafalgar square.

0006
An estimated 35-thousand pigeons descend on the square during the day to be fed by tourists and locals.

0013
But London's new mayor, Ken Livingstone, regards them as a health hazard and an obstacle to his plans for transforming the area into a large pedestrian precinct.

0023
There's only one pigeon food stall left in the square after previous attempts were made to rid the area of sellers.

0031
Now the stall will have to go - and with it years of tradition and history.

0037
Food seller Michael Magnion says the pigeons will now starve to death without their regular source of corn seed.

0044
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The only thing I'm really thinking about is the pigeons themselves. Because it's in the middle of the winter, a lot of them are going to die , because there won't be enough food given out to them "
SUPER CAPTION: Michael Magnion, Pigeon Food Seller

0055
And Magnion is not the only one who's upset.

0059
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think it's terrible. This is lovely for the children. It's great to come to the area, you know the pigeons are here. My little girl loves taking the pigeons and feeding them. I think it would be a terrible thing."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop

0111
But the health hazards of the pigeons are well documented and in some cases have proved fatal according to Baroness Trixie Garner .

0119
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The real health problem is because of the droppings - the dust from those if inhaled can give you very serious lung disease and we've had a couple of deaths on the Continent and one here in another part of the country this year."
SUPER CAPTION: Baroness Trixie Gardner, House of Lords

0134
The ban on selling food marks the end of an era, but it's doubtful the move will eradicate the pigeons altogether.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...