Respect our Roadworkers

#RoadWorkerAbuse Campaign

CECA Scotland are backing a road worker safety campaign launched by Scotland’s Trunk Road Operating Companies – Scotland TranServ, BEAR Scotland and AMEY, aimed at highlighting abuse of roadworkers and calling for action to end this reckless and senseless behaviour which is putting workers lives at risk.

A staggering 80% of Scotland’s trunk road workers report that they have been put at risk by dangerous driving or subjected to verbal or physical abuse.

For many, the abuse from passing motorists is a daily occurrence.

Scotland’s Trunk Road Operating Companies are asking road users to be patient and respect the work force who are carrying out essential road maintenance.  Throughout the two-week campaign CECA Scotland members, BEAR, Amey and Transerv will look to highlight some of the statistics and real-life accounts and experiences from their teams in partnership with Transport Scotland.

#RoadWorkerAbuse – the scale of the problem:

• 83% report that drivers ignore red lights and temporary traffic signals at road works
• 70% of roadworks report drivers entering coned-off works in the past year.
• 3 out of 4 roadworkers have experienced verbal abuse from passing motorists in the past year.
• 1 in 3 roadworkers have experienced missiles being thrown towards them in the past year by passing motorists – including bottles of juice, coffee cups, eggs, foam bullets, food wrappers and banana skins – as well as reports of bottles of urine and even a dirty nappy being thrown.
• A number of roadworkers on road closure points reported receiving threats.

CECA Scotland Chief Executive Grahame Barn said

“No employee should be subjected to abuse, threats or intimidation at work yet the results of this survey show that for roadworkers across Scotland this is a daily reality. CECA Scotland fully backs the #RoadWorkerAbuse campaign and urges Scotland’s motorists to respect our roadworkers”.

You can find out more about the campaign here.