High Court injunction for motorways and major A roads
Parts of the strategic road network have been targeted by protesters and we have an injunction in place as part of our continuing and determined attempts to prevent disruption to England’s busiest roads.
We’re working with the police to keep disruption to the public to a minimum. Millions of people rely on the strategic road network every day and they have a right to expect it to operate as it should.
Our primary concern is always safety. Protesting on our network is extremely dangerous, both for motorists and for the protesters themselves.
Injunctions
We’ve obtained an injunction that prevents named roads being obstructed for protest purposes.
Protesting on these roads carries the risk of imprisonment, an unlimited fine and having assets seized. We’ll consider pursuing further legal avenues as appropriate to safeguard the strategic road network.
5 May 2023 - M25, M25 feeder roads and Kent roads injunction - in force
(National Highways Limited v Persons Unknown Injunction Order (QB-2021-003576, QB-2021-003626, QB-2021-003737)
Lasts until: 23:59 on 10 May 2024
This injunction targets protestors taking action on the M25, the M25 feeder roads and major roads in Kent and around the Port of Dover.
The court has scheduled a hearing for 26 April 2024 at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, at which it will reconsider the continuation of the injunction.
Documents
Extension Application Notice dated 27 March 2024
Draft Order for extension
Witness Statement of Sean Martell dated 26 March 2024
Exhibit SM2 dated 26 March 2024
Witness Statement of Petra Billing dated 18 April 2024
Notice of Review Hearing - 26 April 2024
3 October 2023 – M25, M25 feeder roads and Kent roads injunction consequential order
25 July 2023 – M25, M25 feeder roads and Kent roads injunction consequential order
5 May 2023 M25, M25 feeder roads and Kent roads injunction order – in force
Judgment and documents for 5 May 2023 M25, M25 feeder roads and Kent roads injunction order
Road closures
Where a member of public is protesting at height over a motorway or other similar arterial route, the decision to close the road is based on a range of factors, with public safety being the most important. Both police and National Highways traffic officers have powers to close roads.
Following an incident, our traffic officers will work with the police to re-open the road as soon as possible, after making sure all affected infrastructure, such as gantries, are undamaged and safe.
