Council secures “innovative” injunction to prevent fuel protests

Thurrock Council has secured an injunction which prevents protestors blocking roads or impeding vehicles at key fuel terminals in the borough.

The injunctions cover areas around the Navigator Oil Terminal in Grays, Inter Terminal UK's site in Grays and Thames Oilport in Stanford-le-Hope as well as other key fuel infrastructures sites and filling stations in the borough.

Thurrock said this would give police the powers “to quickly and effectively move on anyone attempting to block these sites which are key to national supply”.

Over the last few weeks, the three fuel terminals have been targeted by activists from protest group Just Stop Oil – “causing disruption to the borough's road networks, local businesses, waste collections and other frontline council services”, the council claimed.

Thurrock added: “The innovative legal measures prevent the activity and tactics protestors used to create disruption at these sites and is set to act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of coming to Thurrock to carry out similar activity in the area in the future.”

Under the terms of the injunction, protestors are prevented from blocking roads, stopping vehicles and gluing themselves to the road or vehicles.

Thurrock said it had worked closely with Essex Police and affected businesses to ensure that vital fuel deliveries could continue despite the actions of the protestors.

Over the last three weeks, Essex Police have made 461 arrests in connection with acts carried out as part of the oil protests in Thurrock.

The operation has so far cost Essex Police, Thurrock Council and other partners more than £1m, the local authority said.

It added: “Thurrock Council has worked together with our partners to secure this vital injunction, which is the first of its kind to include specific roads, petrol forecourts and other vital fuel infrastructure beyond the premises previously targeted by protestors.”