Motorway protests: Insulate Britain activists block M1, M4 and M25

The group staged protests blocking the M1, M4 and M25

The government is seeking a second injunction to prevent climate change protesters from blocking major roads.

The Met Police arrested 39 Insulate Britain activists earlier, after they blocked the M1, M4 and M25 in their 10th protest in three weeks.

Insulate Britain is calling on the government to insulate all UK homes by 2030 to cut carbon emissions.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said their behaviour was "unacceptable, disruptive and dangerous".

A woman caught in the traffic caused by the protest near Heathrow spoke to activists

The group staged protests on the M25 near Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, the M4 near Heathrow Airport and the M1 at Brent Cross, north London.

Last week the government obtained an injunction that means anyone blocking the M25 could be found in contempt of court, but this has not stopped Insulate Britain's protests.

The injunction carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison or an unlimited fine.

Mr Shapps said he had now instructed National Highways to apply for an injunction covering major roads in south-east England.

Some people glued their hands to the road while others chained themselves together

Officers were called to protesters blocking junction three of the M4 at 08:27 BST and cleared the road by 09:00. Thirteen people were arrested for obstruction and conspiracy to commit public nuisance.

Shortly after, officers were called to activists blocking traffic at junction one of the M1 and made 17 arrests for obstruction and conspiracy to commit public nuisance.

The force said officers responded to a third protest at junction 25 of the M25, which was cleared by 11:50 BST.

Drivers stuck in long queues of traffic beeped their horns in frustration

Insulate Britain said the demonstrators included eight people released from police custody on Thursday after blocking the M25 at junction 30 in Essex, and others arrested earlier this week.

It pledged to continue its actions until the government made "a meaningful statement indicating that they will insulate all of Britain's 29 million leaky homes by 2030".

"It's incomprehensible that the government is continuing to delay action on home insulation when we urgently need to cut our carbon emissions, eliminate fuel poverty and help hard-working families with their rising energy bills," the group said.

The government said it was investing £1.3bn to support people to install energy efficiency measures.

The deputy commissioner of the Met Police said the protests on main carriageways were "absolute lunacy"

Hugh Bladon, founding member of the Alliance of British Drivers, said: "What we need now is firm action from the police before someone gets killed.

"They've made their point, now go away and get this country working properly. They're bang on about insulating houses though."

Sir Stephen House, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said officers were "putting their lives at risk" to quickly clear protests.

"The most recent one I saw had officers running between articulated lorries that were moving on the main carriageway of the M25," he said.