Councils call for action after road workers abused, spat on and even shot at with crossbow in West Midlands
Verbal and physical abuse of road workers in the West Midlands will "not be tolerated" and has caused delays to schemes in the region.
Councils are backing calls for an end to threatening behaviour towards road workers after campaign group Stamp It Out revealed there were more than 360 cases of physical or verbal abuse against road workers across the West Midlands, within a 12-month period.
Of those cases, 324 were verbal attacks, while 36 involved physical abuse, including instances of people spitting in the faces of road workers, the campaign group said earlier this year.
In the most extreme cases, Stamp It Out said a road worker who was picking up litter was shot at, and narrowly missed, by a bolt from someone with a crossbow.
In a campaign against the issue, Balfour Beatty, who undertake projects around the country, said 29 per cent of road workers were seeking new roles due to abuse they faced, adding that 62 per cent of road workers' mental health has been affected by abuse.
