Injunction issued to remove Coventry tree campaigners

The city council said the work was aimed at reducing pollution from traffic stuck in queues

An injunction has been issued to remove protesters who set up camp to stop a council cutting trees down.

The demonstrators, who took up residence in Spon End, Coventry, wanted to stop the trees being removed as part of a road-widening scheme.

Protests had been going on since February.

The city council said the works were part of an air quality improvement plan and the protesters would be asked to leave the work area.

People at the camp had said the site was a conservation area and the road-widening scheme, creating an extra lane of traffic, would put buses and lorries close to their front doors.

Residents fear increased noise and pollution as a result of the road widening in Spon End

The council said the High Court interim injunction would prevent campaigners from stopping the works.

It added the trees were not being removed needlessly and 27 trees would be replanted, more than were being taken out.

It also said if it did not improve air quality on Holyhead Road it would be mandated by the government to implement a charge zone.