A 50-year-old woman has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries following a crash on the M25, after climate change protesters blocked parts of the busy motorway.
The total number of people arrested by police following today's action is 71, with Surrey Police arresting 32 people with the rest detained by Kent and Hertfordshire police.
Insulate Britain activists blocked busy roads around junction 8 and 10 this morning - the second time the M25 has been disrupted by protesters in three days.
They targeted Junction 23 for South Mimms in Hertfordshire and the main carriageway from Junction 8 at Reigate to Junction 9 at Leatherhead, both in Surrey, at around 8am.
Surrey Police confirmed a woman was airlifted following a four vehicle collision on the anti-clockwise carriage at junction nine at around 9am this morning. They added it is too early to say whether the two incidents are connected.
Handout photo issued by Insulate Britain of protesters taking part in blocking the M25 motorway in London. Issue date: Wednesday September 15, 2021.
Insulate Britain
One of the lanes of the carriageway has since been re-opened and we are working with Highways England to open the rest of the road. So far, police have arrested 32 protesters who blocked the M25.
The force said in a series of tweets: “We have been working with partner forces across the region including Metropolitan Police to deal with widespread protesters on the M25.
“All protesters have now been cleared from both Junction 8 and 10. A total of 25 arrests have been made.
“We are also dealing with a road traffic collision at Junction 9 of the M25 involving multiple vehicles. Police, fire service and ambulances are currently on the scene.”
Insulate Britain said 89 of its members took part in the action on Wednesday. It said in a statement: “We demand credible action now.
“Proper jobs for hundreds of thousands of people to start the first real step – to insulate all the homes of this country – which, pound for pound, gives us the biggest reduction in carbon emissions.
“It is a total no-brainer and yet this Government refuses to get on with the job. This is criminal negligence.”
A demonstration by the same group on Monday blocked five junctions of the M25, leading to tens of thousands of drivers being stuck in huge queues of traffic and dozens of arrests.