The M25 has reopened following protests from Just Stop Oil this morning.

Protesters climbed onto the overhead gantries in a number of locations including near Godstone.

As a result the motorway was closed between Junction 6 A22 (Godstone) and Junction 7 M23 in Surrey.

The congestion stretched back to J4 (Orpington), and also back onto the M26, and anticlockwise back towards Reigate.

The M25 was also blocked anticlockwise with queueing traffic for two miles at J2 A2 (Darenth Interchange) before the Dartford Tunnel.

Just after 9.30am Essex Police and Surrey Police said they had removed protesters and were reopening the road while it was thought Hertfordshire Police were close to doing the same.

Shortly before 11am National Highways confirmed that the scene is now clear and all lanes have re-opened in both direction between J9 and J10.

Just Stop Oil says it contacted the Metropolitan Police and National Highways yesterday evening to advise them that there would major disruption on the M25, and ask them to implement a 30mph speed limit, in line with their responsibilities to keep the public safe.

Indigo Rumblelow, 28, a spokesperson for Just Stop Oil from London said: “What did you expect?

"This government is complicit in an illegal and unconstitutional plan to issue more licenses and consents for new oil and gas. A plan that will take the world over 1.5C, resulting in the collapse of ordered society, the loss of our rights and freedoms and the death of millions of people.

He said: "Our latest Prime Minister Rishi Sunak talks of the importance of ending our dependance on fossil fuels yet he is still planning to allow new fossil fuel projects.

"This is a failure of politics. People have the legal right under British law to cause disruption to prevent a greater harm.

"We do not do this lightly. After 30 years of public debate, lobbying and petitioning, and three years of peaceful civil disobedience, we are still on course for catastrophic climate breakdown and we have nowhere else to go.

"The government is doubling down on fossil fuels, indicating ever greater levels of criminality."

The protests started at 7.30 this morning.

Today’s action follows four weeks of continuous civil resistance by supporters of Just Stop Oil during which the police have made 678 arrests.

Since the campaign began on April 1, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested nearly 2,000 times, with six supporters currently in prison.

Even before today's protests, the courts had already granted an injunction to stop protesters from disrupting the M25.

It followed an incident last month in which Just Stop Oil campaigners climbed the masts of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge halting traffic for around 42 hours.

Two men were later charged with conspiracy to commit a public nuisance.

The injunction means that all of today's protesters could face prison, an unlimited fine, or the seizure of their assets.

But the injunction does not seem to have scared them off.

A spokesman promised: "We will not be intimidated by changes to the law. We will not be stopped by private injunctions sought to silence peaceful people."

Police said: "Officers are on the scene and working to keep disruption to a minimum.

"Arrests have already been made at a number of locations. The operational team in charge of this response have acted quickly and ask the public not to intervene."