The courts have granted an injunction to stop protesters from disrupting the M25.

It comes after Just Stop Oil campaigners camped out on the Dartford Crossing for around 42 hours last month.

The motorway came to a halt a few weeks ago as two men climbed the two 84m masts on the north side of the bridge and set up hammocks.

Morgan Trowland, a bridge design engineer and protester, said at the time: "We are up here until the government makes a meaningful statement to cancel all new licenses and contracts for oil an gas extraction."

Trowland, 39, of Drummond Way, Islington, and Marcus Decker, 33, of no fixed address, were brought down after two days by officers and were arrested then charged with conspiracy to commit a public nuisance.

National Highways has now secured a new injunction following an urgent out-of-hours application that specifically seeks to prevent unlawful protests on the M25.

The High Court granted the request yesterday afternoon.

It applies to all individuals although it is primarily to target any protest organised by Just Stop Oil on the orbital motorway.

The injunction means that anyone entering or remaining upon or affixing themselves to any object or any structure on the M25 or anyone causing, assisting, facilitating or encouraging any other person to do so without National Highways’ express consent may be held to be in contempt of court.

They could face prison, an unlimited fine, the seizure of assets or all of these sanctions for breaching the order. The order can be viewed here.

This measure is intended to act as a further deterrent to anyone intending to carry out unlawful protest activity on the road.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "Protesting by blocking busy motorways or climbing overhead structures is extremely dangerous and disruptive, which is why I instructed National Highways to apply for this further injunction, which the Courts have granted.

"This will make it easier to take action against this reckless minority of protesters. They could face imprisonment or an unlimited fine if they breach the injunction."

Duncan Smith, executive director for operations at National Highways, added: "Millions of people rely on the strategic road network every day and they have a right to expect it to operate as it should.

"We already have an injunction covering hundreds of miles of our network. This further court order will make it easier to take action against those reckless individuals who choose to unlawfully protest on the M25. Protesting on these busy roads is extremely dangerous for the protestors themselves and all road users.

"National Highways remains committed to do whatever it can to seek to deter unlawful protest activity and punish all of those who breach the injunction orders in the eyes of the law."

The injunction was secured in addition to an existing court order which covers the M25, the M25 feeder roads and major roads in Kent and around the Port of Dover until May 2023.

There is some crossover between the two injunctions but for procedural legal reasons, it is often better to seek targeted solutions as this allows for greater speed and ease of enforcement.

The company has said it is continuing to work closely with police across areas affected by protests to help keep disruption to the public to a minimum.

As well as enforcing civil injunctions, the police also have a range of powers to enforce criminal offences relating to protests on roads.