Transport body seeks to take legal action against 180 people over road protests

Lawyers representing Transport for London said that since the start of October ‘protest activity’ has ‘very largely focused’ on London roads.

Just Stop Oil protesters demonstrate on the junction of Horseferry Road and Tufton Street (Just Stop Oil/PA) (PA Media)

Transport for London bosses have asked a High Court judge to let them take legal action against more than 180 named people following the intensification of Just Stop Oil protests.

Lawyers representing TfL told Mr Justice Freedman on Thursday that since the start of October “protest activity” has “very largely focused” on London roads.

They told the judge at a High Court hearing in London that the “deliberate blocking” of roads caused serious disruption and created a “risk to life”.

Earlier this month another High Court judge granted an injunction against 62 named “defendants” and against “persons unknown”.

Mrs Justice Yip’s order barred the blocking of specified roads in London.

Lawyers told Mr Justice Freedman that TfL – a “traffic authority” for “important” roads in Greater London – wanted to take legal action against a further 121 named people, bringing the total number of named defendants to 183.

Mr Justice Freedman is due to deliver a ruling on TfL’s application on Monday.

He ruled that the injunction granted by Mrs Justice Yip should remain in place.

Mrs Justice Yip also made an order saying the Metropolitan Police should “disclose” to TfL the names and addresses of people arrested as a result of protests.

Barrister Andrew Fraser-Urquhart KC, who led TfL’s legal team, told Mr Justice Freedman that the force has disclosed the names of “further such people”.

He said that as of Wednesday 1,900 arrests have been “made of Justice Stop Oil protesters” since the start of April – with 585 made since the start of October.

A written argument prepared by TfL lawyers did not give the names of all the people the organisation want to take legal action against – and names were not given at the hearing.