Bristol bus route tree protesters issued with legal notice

Protesters have been perched in the trees at the allotments on Frenchay Park Road since 1 February

Campaigners camped in trees in Bristol in a bid to stop them being felled for a bus route have been served with a possession order.

Rising Up wants to save the trees from being cut down on council-owned land at Stapleton Allotments, for segregated lanes for the city's Metrobus scheme.

Protesters have been perched in the trees since the start of the month.

The council said it will now "proceed in a timely manner" to bring the situation to a conclusion.

"We are aware that those on site include both passionate, local campaigners wishing to enact their right to peaceful protest, but also others who we believe may hold very different intentions," it said.

Rising Up said its "tree protectors" are still in the trees and have "no plans" to leave.

The Metrobus scheme was designed with the aim of getting more people to use public transport and cut journey times. It involves three routes across the city which all have planning approval.

The three Metrobus Scheme routes are Ashton Vale to Temple Meads, Cribbs Causeway via Emersons Green to the city centre and South Bristol link between the A370 Long Ashton bypass and Hengrove Park.