Angry drivers have attacked workers as they try to clear floods that have forced the closure of roads, West Sussex County Council said.
After one of the attacks, in Bognor, Sussex Police said that abuse and assaults were “completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated”.
The county council said that a highways official was injured by a driver on Wednesday (11 February) as they tried to restrict access to the A29 Shripney Road to residents only.
The road links the town to the A27 and has been shut to through traffic since the start of the month because of flooding caused by heavy rain.
At least two council workers have been attacked in the past few weeks, with police arresting a 55-year-old woman for common assault after one of the incidents.
Sussex Police said that she agreed to “a community resolution” which required her to write a letter of apology.
On Monday (9 February), the county council appealed for witnesses and any camera footage after a worker was hit by a vehicle at the same spot.
The council said: “This morning, one of our highways team members was struck by a white Land Rover which forced its way through a road closure.
“Luckily, the operative was not injured but the incident has been reported to the police and any witnesses are urged to contact the police on 101.
“Our officers are there to help. They are not there to be abused either verbally or physically and we urge the public to recognise this.
“We want to resolve the issues faced due the adverse weather as much as the public and ask for patience while we do so.”
The county council also said that it “understands the frustration road closures, caused by flooding, present to drivers”.
But it said: “Driving through them can cause further issues including delaying opening the road, pushing water into residential homes as well as potentially negating the driver’s insurance should their car break down due to water ingress.
“It is also dangerous to those highway operatives who are on site to try to resolve the issue.”
