Cambridgeshire Steps Up Support for Stamp It Out as Abuse of Highway Workers Surges

Cambridgeshire County Council has strengthened its backing for the national Stamp It Out campaign after a sharp rise in violence, intimidation and abuse directed at local highway workers.

The authority said its decision to push the campaign more prominently comes in response to a growing number of incidents affecting staff on the ground. Since November 2024, the council has logged 29 reports of threatening behaviour and four assaults — ranging from spitting and verbal harassment to officers being physically attacked or having objects thrown at them.

By putting its full weight behind Stamp It Out, Cambridgeshire hopes to send a clear message that hostility towards highway workers will not be tolerated and that the abuse experienced across the county must end.

The council highlighted several recent incidents to illustrate the seriousness of the situation. On the large multi-million-pound Milton Road upgrade project in Cambridge, crews have repeatedly faced angry confrontations from motorists and passers-by. In east Cambridgeshire, an officer was assaulted and had their hair pulled, while in the south of the county a driver reportedly accelerated towards a staff member, ramming their car into site barriers.

To protect workers, body-worn cameras have now been introduced across frontline teams. One officer shared the emotional toll the behaviour is taking:“We’re human beings like everyone else, just trying to earn a living. People need to think how they would feel if someone came into their workplace and acted violently or abusively.”

Stamp It Out’s national research shows the scale of the problem, with 50% of public-facing workers experiencing weekly abuse — yet a significant proportion of incidents remain unreported.

Councillor Alex Beckett, chair of the council’s highways and transport committee, said Cambridgeshire’s strengthened support for the campaign reflects its determination to protect its workforce.

“The abuse our highway crews are facing is unacceptable, and backing Stamp It Out is a vital part of our commitment to keep them safe. We need the public to engage with our staff respectfully — anything less will not be tolerated.”

By elevating the campaign locally, Cambridgeshire hopes to influence public behaviour, encourage more reporting and support a nationwide shift in how frontline workers are treated.