Safety signs damaged and stolen and workforce abused as St Combs road improvements continue

Vandals have caused around £5,500 worth of damage at the site of the roadworks.

Vandals have cost tax payers thousands after going on a wrecking spree at the site of roadworks near to St. Combs.

Aberdeenshire Council is currently carrying out roadworks on the B9033 in Buchan from the A90 trunk road junction to St. Combs.

On the weekends of November 19 and 20 and 26 and 27, extensive malicious damage was caused closure and diversion signage, while other signs and barriers were stolen.

The number of signs recorded missing and damaged stands at 28 road closed/road ahead signs, four diversion or diverted traffic signs, ten additional signs missing and eight barriers missing.

Philip McKay, Head of Roads and Infrastructure, said: “These damaged and missing ‘safety critical’ signs will cost Aberdeenshire Council and ultimately the taxpayer around £5,500 to replace.

"All these signs are essential to ensure the safety of both our colleagues on site and of the travelling public.

"Damaging, removing or ignoring site safety signs compromises the safety of everyone and is an extremely irresponsible act.

“It is also of great concern to me that my colleagues on site are being subjected to verbal abuse from a small minority of road users attempting to get through the works.

"I would like to stress again that ignoring road closures is unacceptable and that verbally abusing site staff as they go about their work to improve the network is not acceptable."

Police Scotland have been made aware of these incidents and CCTV has been deployed on site.