Insulate Britain: climate activists block Manchester motorway junction

Insulate Britain protestors have blocked a Manchester motorway junction as the climate group launched a fresh wave of demonstrations.

Campaigners descended on junction 6 of the M56 on Tuesday morning (2 November).

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

Activists have blocked roads on 18 days since 13 September, causing misery for drivers stuck in long queues of traffic.

Greater Manchester Police said officers were responding to the protest on Wilmslow Road (A538) near junction 6 of the M56 and Manchester Airport.

The force said: “Delays are expected and we ask people travelling to avoid the area if possible.”

So far, 161 people have been involved in the roadblock campaign and there have been 770 arrests, excluding Tuesday’s action.

Insulate Britain said around 60 demonstrators were involved in Tuesday’s action, which also involved blocking roads in London and Birmingham.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham criticised the M56 protest on Twitter.

He wrote: “I can’t see how this type of protest does anything other than alienate people from the climate cause. Have been reassured Greater Manchester Police are working to get things moving as soon as possible.”

Greater Manchester Police tweeted that 11 people were arrested.

The force said the majority of protestors had glued themselves to the road detained on suspicion of causing danger to road-users.

Police said at around 1pm that disruption had been kept to a minimum and the roads had returned to normal.