Insulate Britain protests target Manchester Airport and the M25

Insulate Britain protesters have blocked a major road near Manchester Airport as part of a series of demonstrations across the country.

About a dozen people joined the protest on Wilmslow Road (A538) near the M56.

Greater Manchester Police said officers were "working to minimise disruption" but said despite delays "traffic was still moving".

The protest group also targeted the M25 near London, where there have been arrests, and Birmingham city centre.

Insulate Britain said about 60 demonstrators had descended on junction 23 of the M25 in Hertfordshire, the A538 in Manchester and the A4400 in Birmingham.

The London and Manchester roads are part of the strategic road network and covered by a super injunction granted to National Highways last week.

Insulate Britain - which campaigns for homes to be low energy by 2030 to fight fuel poverty - said it was taking its message "outside of London".

"Britain should be leading the world with radical plans to decarbonise our society, instead our government is actively setting policies that will drive emissions higher," it added in a statement.

About a dozen protesters have blocked Wilmslow Road near Manchester Airport, including seven who glued their hands to the road.

GMP said delays were still likely in the area but said officers had "ensured access" to the M56 and Manchester Airport.

"Officers are there to minimise disruption and bring the incident to a swift and orderly conclusion," a spokesman added.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham tweeted: "I can't see how this type of protest does anything other than alienate people from the climate cause."

The leader of Trafford Council, councillor Andrew Western, said it was "a sure fire way to lose hearts and minds on the climate crisis issue".

He tweeted it was "selfish, self-indulgent and dangerous" and the protesters were "not helping anybody".

By BBC North of England Bureau senior journalist Michaela Howard

Eleven Insulate Britain protesters walked on to the road at around 08:30, sitting down in front of cars as the traffic lights were red, pulling out their banners.

Sitting in a line, seven of the protesters glued their hands to the road with the others sat on the ground.

There were a handful of police officers initially on scene but numbers have increased to around two dozen.

There hasn't been a great deal of traffic disruption and there has been a mixed response from passing motorists, some hooting their horns in support but many shouting at the protesters.

Several people were arrested after about 20 protesters attempted to block the M25 by gluing themselves to the road.

Hertfordshire Police said protestors were near junction 23 for the A1(M) at Bignells Corner, and close to the A1081 St Albans Road.

Officers were called at 07:45 GMT to the M25 area and at 08:20 to the A1081.

By 10:00, police said all protesters had been removed and the road was being reopened.

Protesters also disrupted morning traffic by sitting in the road around Great Charles Middleway in Birmingham city centre.

West Midlands Police said about 20 people had "briefly and intermittently" blocked traffic for about an hour, causing minimal disruption, with no arrests made.

Insulate Britain activists have blocked roads on 18 days since 13 September, a move that has seen drivers stuck in long queues of traffic.

Before Tuesday's action, 161 people had been involved in the roadblock campaign, with 770 arrests.

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