West Sussex County Council has issued a plea to members of the public after a number of their highways staff members have reported experiencing abuse while at work. In a statement issued on Wednesday (May 17), the council said it was “disappointed” and that it is “unacceptable” behaviour that will not be tolerated.
Over the last few months, the council has faced an “unprecedented number of issues” on the county’s roads that has led to increased frustration among locals. However, the council has said that the highways team are working hard to resolve these issues and that changes have been implemented to “speed” up the process, including Saturday work and additional funding.
The council said that staff are working hard on the roads and that the abuse they are receiving can make them feel unsafe.
READ MORE: Brighton beach loses prestigious Blue Flag status after not meeting certain criteria
A spokesperson for West Sussex County Council said: “The council understands the frustration that some members of the public have regarding the condition of the county’s roads but says that it is unacceptable for its staff to receive abuse whilst they are working hard to rectify the unprecedented number of issues that have been reported.
“The teams completing the works are hard-working people who are undertaking their job the same as any other professional and should not be abused whilst at work. The council does not accept members of their staff and contractors receiving abuse and asks the question: “How would members of the public feel if they were to receive abuse whilst at work?””
Cllr Joy Dennis, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “We are very aware of the issues with the conditions of some of the county’s roads and we have introduced a number of measures to speed up resolution, including the introduction of ‘find & fix’ gangs to offer a proactive approach to repairing potholes. We have also allocated additional exceptional funding in this year’s budget which is enabling three additional gangs working on our highways, meaning there is now a minimum of fourteen gangs working on the network at any one time.
“Our operational hours have also been extended to include twilight and Saturday shifts and we’ve invested in an additional Jet Patcher which will operate until early Autumn. Our staff are working hard to resolve these issues and we do not tolerate them receiving abuse for carrying out essential work.
“This results in members of staff feeling unsafe and this is why we are asking the public to be kind and to treat our workforce with respect.” Members of the public have also been reminded that the teams are working to fix the issues and that this abuse should not be continuing.
READ NEXT: