Over the last few months there have been multiple protests by the Insulate Britain activists; where they have blocked roads on and around the M25, M4 and M1 motorways and key routes in the capital. This has caused widespread disruption with roads being blocked for hours whilst the police attempt to reason with the group. Insulate Britain are campaigning for a national programme to ensure that homes are insulated by low energy by 2030. Their other main aim is for the government to fund the insulation of all social housing by 2025. Less energy is used by low energy homes as they use renewable energy for heating and electricity. 

On 22 September 2021, a high court injunction was won by the government to stop protestors from blocking the roads. This would result in a campaigner being jailed if they continued to block the roads whilst protesting. Despite the high court injunction being granted, the activists continued to block roads whilst campaigning, which resulted in more than 200 Insulate Britain campaigners being arrested during the protests. 

A spokesperson for Insulate Britain, Zoe Cohen told BBC Radio 4 that protestors “understand the risks they are taking are because we have tried everything else to make the government protect us from the predicted impacts of climate chaos.” They also stated “That involves the loss of all that we cherish, our society, our way of life and law and order.” 

There were arrests made in October at junction 31 for Thurrock along with further arrests at a blockade in Purfleet at Stonehouse Lane. The blockades resulted in confrontations between the Insulate Britain protestors and motorists. A protester was almost run over by a motorist after stopping in front of their car. Other protestors glued themselves to the road, whilst motorists pulled them off the roads in an attempt to clear the road and allow the vehicles through.

The protests have sparked an angry response from motorists as they have been stuck in traffic for hours. The campaigners were branded as selfish by one driver who was trying to get to the hospital to see their mother. “How can you be so selfish? I need to go to the hospital, please let me pass.” she said. The protests have resulted in doctors being stuck in traffic and having to cancel appointments and operations. The London Ambulance Service also appealed to the campaigning group to allow their vehicles to pass through the blockade after a number of ambulances had been stuck in the traffic as a result. Despite the angry response from the public, Insulate Britain spokesperson Craig Scudder said, “Current government policies did not go far enough and disruptive action worked.”

The government said it was investing £1.3 billion to support homeowners with the installation of low energy efficient insulation.