Ryan Prosser
Published June 6, 2026 3:40pm
Updated June 6, 2026 3:40pm
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Previous Page Next PageThis is the moment a van driver smashed through a set of roadworks in a fit of rage.
Footage released by Balfour Beatty shows the white van ignoring signs saying the road was closed and instead ploughing straight through the barriers.
The infrastructure firm has given its workers body cameras after seeing an increase in abuse from road users.
Balfour Beatty said it had taken the step in response to more than 600 incidents of abuse targeted at the sector every week.
These range from verbal abuse to throwing firecrackers at road workers and even deliberately driving into roadworks.
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One clip shared by the company showed an angry van driver smashing through road barriers in a fit of rage.
Other workers have been targeted as they remove St George’s Flags attached to lampposts.
While the firm had reported multiple incidents to police, just one so far has resulted in prosecution, the Times reported.
One worker described a ‘near daily occurrence’ of drivers pulling over and shout ‘sort these f***ing potholes out.
As well as stepping up protection to road workers, Balfour Beatty has increased CCTV use on sites and introduced an app where incidents can be reported.
The 200 body worn cameras are given to those working in the highest risk areas, with counselling by trained clinicians also offered to workers.
In one clip provided by Balfour Beatty, an angry van driver is seen ramming his vehicle into a road construction site (Picture: YouTube/Balfour Beatty)
The company is giving one-on-one five-hour courses in conflict resolution so operatives are able to reduce risk when approached by aggressive members of the public.
Workers are taught to ‘work the problem’ rather than ‘try to win’.
It comes as Britain is facing a huge wave of roadworks, with 400,000 of road currently being dug up for repairs or other projects, including the rollout of full fibre broadband.
Despite this, the current backlog of repairs currently adds up to some £18.62 billion of work across England and Wales.
Even with extra funding provided by government, this could take up to 12 years to surmount.
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Matt Herbert, a health and safety professional at Balfour Beatty, said ‘culture change’ was needed in tackling the issue of abuse on the roads.
He said: ‘What we need the members of the public to fully understand is that these people are there to make their journey better and not there to take abuse.’
Ben Francis, an operations manager from East Sussex, said the problem had worsened in recent years.
He described one incident in which a driver mounted the pavement and drove at a team while they were working, before racially abusing one of the workers.
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