Just Stop Oil campaigners warn of further disruption to drivers on M25 with more action planned

Climate change activists have warned drivers to avoid using the M25.

Just Stop Oil campaigners brought the road to a standstill yesterday morning (Monday November 7) after they climbed gantries over the country's busiest motorway, blocking traffic in both directions.

Now the group says that they will carry out further action from 7am today (Tuesday November 8).

In a post on social media, the group said:

"We ask everyone who is planning to use the M25 or associated roads from 7am tomorrow to be prepared for closures and severe delays to their journeys or to make alternative plans"

The group says the action will only cease once the Government moves away from using new oil and gas.

The group added, "Under British law, we have the legal right, and a moral duty, to disrupt to prevent this great harm."

Yesterday, officers were called to reports of people on the structures near junction 30 at Thurrock in Essex on Monday morning, while the motorway was also closed between junctions 6 and 7 in Surrey.

Essex Police said a man and a woman were arrested at junction 30 at 7.30am as they attempted to climb a gantry. Neither was able to climb on to the structure, they added.

They are now in custody being questioned on suspicion of road traffic offences. 

A third person had locked himself onto a gantry at junction 27, which officers said took time to resolve because of "the complexities of the incident".

Hertfordshire Police said five people had been arrested after protesters attempted to climb overhead gantries at various junctions.

According to the group, since its campaign began on April 1, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested nearly 2,000 times, with five of their supporters currently in prison.