M25 Traffic: Just Stop Oil protesters return to motorway forcing police to close parts of road

All junctions along the M25 have reopened after they were previously blocked on Wednesday morning (9 November) by protestors.

Just Stop Oil told ITV Meridian that protesters had returned to the M25 motorway this morning.

The campaign group targeted five locations on Britain's busiest motorway, bringing traffic to a standstill.

It also told ITV Meridian it was working with fellow group, Animal Rebellion.

Wednesday morning saw wide-scale disruption to journey's and several incidents on the motorway.

On the northern part of the M25 Essex Police said it has arrested a person for 'causing a public nuisance' on the motorway whilst dealing with an incident.

The force said there was a collision involving the motorbike and two lorries during a rolling roadblock introduced due to an activist on the motorway between Junctions 26 and 27 on Wednesday morning.

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: “Officers have again responded quickly to minimise disruption and two persons have already been arrested.

“One of our officers has been injured as they worked to help resolve this situation

“My thoughts are with them and their family.

“I want to thank the public for their support, patience and understanding while we work to resolve this situation.”

Just Stop Oil has commented on the incident: "The collision of two lorries and the injury of a police officer on the M25 this morning is an awful situation. The level of disruption being witnessed on the M25 should not be happening - people are rightly angry and frustrated.

"The impact on peoples lives is huge. In normal circumstances this would be unacceptable. It should never have come to this. The failure of our politics has left us with no other option as we seek to protect our rights and freedoms from a collapse in law and order due to a heating world."

Following the incident the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has called on activists to halt their ‘reckless’ protests.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “What we have seen in Surrey and elsewhere over the last three days goes way beyond peaceful protest. What we are dealing with here is co-ordinated criminality by determined activists.

"Sadly, we have now seen an officer in Essex getting injured while responding to one of the protests and I would like to send my best wishes to them for a full and speedy recovery.

"The actions of this group are becoming more and more reckless and I call on them to halt these dangerous protests now. Enough is enough – people are getting hurt."

Traffic monitoring service, Inrix, earlier reported that the road has been closed clockwise between Junction 7 for Gatwick Airport and 8 for Reigate due to the protesters.

Traffic was backed up to Gatwick Airport on the M23 as drivers try to use extremely busy local a-roads.

Meanwhile, in the anticlockwise direction the road was closed between 9 for Leatherhead and 8 for Reigate.

National Highways reported protesters targeted the road between Junction 4 and Junction 5 for the M26.

Two lanes were closed in a clockwise direction between the two junctions, causing traffic to build up.

Protests were reported on the M25 near to Heathrow Airport, with the anticlockwise blocked, delays due to demonstration between J14 A3113 Airport Way (Heathrow) and J13 A30 (Staines).

Surrey Police confirmed two people have been arrested after being taken off a gantry near to junction 13 anti-clockwise.

Elsewhere, all traffic was temporarily held and queueing for two miles due to further protests on the M25 clockwise before J30 for A13.

Essex Police sent a specialist officer, trained to work at heights to remove the individual from the gantry at Junction 30.

A similar operation was in force at Junction 29, where another person climbed a gantry there.

The Metropolitan Police said a person had locked themselves on to an overhead gantry near Junctions 24 and 25.

The force said: "Locks add more complexity for our removal teams and the overall process becomes longer.

"We have had to bring in specialist equipment for this removal, including a JCB.

"Officers will endeavour to work swiftly and safely to open as quickly as possible."

Yesterday much of the M25 was brought to a standstill due to protests by Just Stop Oil, who had targeted multiple sections of the motorway.

Efforts to disperse Tuesday's protests across the road involved the Metropolitan, Surrey, Kent and Essex police forces.

They have asked people stuck in traffic as a result of protesters to stay in their vehicles and not obstruct the hard shoulder.