HIGHWAYS England has released video footage of a reckless motorist mounting the pavement and placing road workers’ lives at risk as they go about their daily jobs improving the road network.

Research by Highways England reveals a catalogue of serious incidents and near misses ranging from motorists driving into coned off areas where road workers are working to physical and verbal abuse.

On average there are nearly 300 incidents a week of incursions and abuse reported by road workers who are busy improving England's 4,300 miles of motorways and strategic A roads for the benefit of all road users.

And of almost 3500 incidents recorded between July 2017 until September 2017, 150 were serious, leading to four road workers and two motorists being injured.

That is why Highways England is calling on road users to be patient if they are delayed by roadworks and to respect road workers doing a difficult job.

Highways England bosses say the video shows the unacceptable behaviour that workers are faced with every day.

CLICK PLAY ON THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THE STORY

The first clip shows a driver who has been stopped at the site of road works on the A120 in Essex involving two barriers in place for drivers to be allowed through with an escort.

The irresponsible driver had already driven around the initial closure point on the wrong side of the road, then drove at speed to attempt to avoid Essex Police who were supporting Highways England in enforcing the closure.

A spokesman added: "His actions jeopardised the lives of all those road workers on this stretch of road between Braintree and the A12 at Marks Tey."

Another incident captured on video shows a lorry driving through coned off roadworks on the M6.

Mike Wilson, Chief Highways Engineer, Executive Director Safety, Engineering and Standards at Highways England said: “While we plan our maintenance and improvement works to minimise inconvenience to drivers, some road closures are necessary, and ultimately for the benefit of road users.

“Drivers who selfishly and illegally ignore these traffic restrictions force their way through are putting both their lives and those of our road workers at risk – all to save a few minutes on their journey.

“Also since October 2014, some 341 incidents of either verbal or physical abuse towards workers were recorded across England."

Road worker abuse often occurs during incursions, whereby drivers seek to ignore a road closure to drive through instead, often failing to heed advance warning signs of upcoming closures.

In the North West region between July 2016 and September 2017, this happened 1,203 times. 

The message from Highways England is:

  •  Respect our road workers – slow down near road works and obey speed limits and signs.
  • Just because workers aren’t visible, it doesn’t mean they are not present. This is especially true when operations take place at night, but also applies when visibility is restricted by works vehicles and equipment.
  • We plan maintenance and improvement projects to allow works to proceed in the safest and most cost-effective way, with minimum disruption to road users.
  • Think what it would be like if you had to contend with lorries and cars driving through your place of work.