A COMPANY boss has hit back at drivers who directed a torrent of vile abuse at workers who were erecting scaffolding in the front of a Buddhist retreat in Bradford on Avon.

Alex Mogg, a director of Melksham Scaffolding Ltd, says his workers were subjected to six hours of verbal abuse while they putting up scaffolding in Masons Lane on Wednesday.

“It was six hours of non-stop abuse and some of it was vile. Our lads were called every name under the sun.

“One guy even jumped out of his vehicle and threatened me and another said I had ruined her day.

“We understand that people are angry about being delayed but the people at Aukana Trust have waited three years for their roof to be repaired.

“We had to put up the scaffolding in order to do the work safely. The people who abused us would think differently if it were their house.”

The scaffolding in the road has reduced two lanes to single file and while two workers were erecting it another two were forced to direct traffic around it.

The ensuing chaos resulted from drivers going downhill refusing to give way to traffic going uphill – even though the Highway Code instructs that drivers going uphill take precedence.

Bradford on Avon Town Council said drivers experienced severe delays throughout the town, extending to many further incoming roads, which resulted in chaos as vehicles became backlogged in both directions.

As a result, many drivers became frustrated, with some becoming very abusive to the four scaffolding workers on site.

After being alerted to the traffic chaos, Bradford on Avon Town Council officers contacted Wiltshire Council immediately to request assistance.

Following a second phone call, they were told that, upon further inspection, Wiltshire Council had asked the contractor to implement a traffic light system by 5pm.

Following the abuse on-site and subsequently on social media feeds, Mr Mogg said: “We had requested permission from Wiltshire Council and obtained all required licenses prior to commencing work on Masons Lane.

“The works to be carried out are for a charitable organisation who have been waiting three years for the permission to be granted.

“It was organised so that it would be carried out during the school holidays to cause the least amount of traffic disruption.

“When we initially approached Wiltshire Council we suggested that we should have traffic lights installed, however we were advised that this would not be necessary.

“We were provided with traffic management plans to include fencing off a walkway, coning off the area and providing traffic signage. Prior to starting work we ensured that all requested traffic management measures were in place.

“Unfortunately, the traffic situation became extremely difficult very quickly and my team and I suffered much abuse and threats from motorists caught in the traffic.

“Mid-morning, a highway officer from Wiltshire Council attended and advised us that we would require traffic lights to be installed by 5pm. This was organised by myself and these were operational by 4.55pm.

“As a scaffolding company that prides itself on its reputation and efficiency we feel extremely saddened by the negative comments received.

“It is insinuated that it was our lack of planning and permissions that caused this situation, however we did everything Wiltshire Council requested and required of us.”

The town council, who say they were not informed of the works by Wiltshire Council prior to them starting, plan to discuss the issue at their Highways & Transport committee meeting next Tuesday, August 14.

Cllr Dom Newton, who chairs the committee and is the Council’s Leader, said: “We are aware and understand that many residents and commuters were frustrated, due to both the lack of a traffic control system and also not being forewarned of any works which impacted the smooth flow of traffic.

“Following on from discussion at next week’s meeting, we will be raising this matter with Wiltshire Council.”

The Aukana Trust runs a Buddhist retreat and meditation centre in Masons Lane. The roof repairs are likely to take up to three weeks to complete.

Speaking on behalf of the Trust, Sister Sara said: “This project has been three years in the planning and when the traffic problems started we called the council and they said the traffic lights were not needed.

“It is up to the scaffolding company to arrange the lights but they were told by the council experts it was not considered they were needed.

“As a charity, we are trying to keep our costs low but we are happy to do our best to keep the traffic flowing through the town.”