Stop and go boards fitted with CCTV cameras

Stop and go boards have been fitted with CCTV cameras in an effort to protect operatives working on roads in Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire County Council have teamed up with Skanska on the initiative after a string of incidents over the last 18 months where motorists have ignored the stop signs, putting road workers and other motorists at risk of being seriously injured.

To prevent this from happening, the stop and go boards, which are used by road workers to control the traffic whilst carrying out essential maintenance works, have been fitted with CCTV cameras.

County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, cabinet member for transport, said: “Oxfordshire County Council takes staff safety and any abuse of its employees and subcontractors very seriously and any actions that put road workers at risk will not be tolerated.

“All we ask is that people have consideration and understanding that they are just doing their jobs and abusive behaviour is not acceptable.”

Richard Lovewell, operations manager at Skanska, added: “There was an incident where an operative was hit by a car that ignored the stop sign. Thankfully he walked away with minor injuries, but it could have been a lot worse. There have also been incidents of motorists verbally abusing workers.

“These signs will work as an effective deterrent and encourage drivers to slow down and pay attention, improving the safety of our workers and the travelling public.”

Chris Appleby, casualty reduction sergeant, joint operations unit, Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, explained: “Video footage of drivers breaking the law can be very helpful in identifying drivers and gaining successful prosecutions.”

The signs were developed and manufactured by Eurosigns. They are equipped with a wide-angle, automatic recording system, providing high-resolution images. These use an intelligent power management system, which automatically turns the sign off when not in use, prolonging the life of the battery.