High Court Lifts Injunctions Blocking Environmental Protests on Major London Roads

Injunctions that had prevented environmental activists from blocking key routes in London have been lifted after a High Court judge ruled they were no longer necessary.

The orders, imposed in May and June 2023, restricted members of Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil (JSO) from obstructing major roads including Marble Arch, Park Lane and Vauxhall Bridge. Designed to run for five years with annual reviews, the injunctions were granted to Transport for London (TfL) following a series of disruptive demonstrations.

At a hearing on Monday, Mr Justice Morris said there had been no significant protest action from either group since the summer, and concluded that extending the injunctions was no longer justified. As a result, the orders have now been formally discharged.

The judge’s decision follows a statement made by JSO on 27 March, in which the group announced it was “hanging up the hi-vis” and claimed its core demand—an end to new oil and gas licences—had been met. During a hearing in May, Mr Justice Morris agreed to keep the injunctions in place temporarily to test whether the group would follow through on its declaration.

At the time, Andrew Fraser-Urquhart KC, representing TfL, argued that maintaining the orders through the summer months was essential, as protests typically peaked during that period.

Around 300 individuals were named in the injunctions, the judge noted, although only one—Insulate Britain campaigner David Crawford—appeared in court. Mr Justice Morris acknowledged

that the legal process had been difficult for many involved, stating it had been “an ordeal for many people who were not expecting to be caught up in litigation”.

Announcing his decision, he added: “The effect of this order that I now make is that these proceedings are now brought to a close.”