Just Stop Oil protesters block petrol pumps at Clacket Lane

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Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists have blocked two petrol stations at services on the M25. The climate group said 35 of its supporters have blocked the stations at Cobham Services and Clacket Lane Services in Surrey. A spokesperson for JSO told Express.co.uk on Wednesday night that the action was the group’s “biggest public facing” event yet, and would likely cause “a lot of controversy”.

The activists say they have purposefully damaged petrol pumps by smashing display glass and covering them with spray paint.

The ultimate goal is to prevent members of the public from using the petrol pumps.

JSO is made up of mostly young people who are also members of Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain.

Their goal is to make sure the Government commits to halting new fossil fuel licensing and production — the only way, they say, to ensure that carbon neutral goals are hit on time before stopping environmental disaster is no longer possible.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has yet to bow to their demands, instead announcing a raft of other measures that he says proves the UK is a world leader in tackling climate change.

This includes his announcement this month to build eight new nuclear reactors in order to boost production and set the UK on course to become a nuclear energy power.

However, Neil Rothnie, 69, a retired offshore oil and gas worker from Glasgow and one of JSO’s activists, told Express.co.uk that he believed the plans were a non-starter.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “I don’t think nuclear is the way and I think the vast majority of the world believes this too.

“First of all it’s long-term, secondly it’s hugely expensive.

“The cheap way to solve the energy crisis is to insulate people’s houses, and then give them the cheapest electricity they can get, and that is onshore wind.

“If you can’t give them onshore, give them offshore wind, the next possible cheapest.

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“Nuclear? No, not for me. I can’t see it happening.

“How long does it take them to get a nuclear power station going? And eight of them?

“I think this is disinformation, I think what the Government is doing is for popular consumption and is a way of disguising the fact that the energy strategy is in complete and utter chaos.”

The eight new nuclear power plants — added to the eight existing power stations — are part of plans that aim to boost UK energy independence and tackle rising prices.

It also includes intentions to increase wind, hydrogen and solar production.

Despite the drive, experts have called for a bigger focus on energy efficiency and improving — like Mr Rothnie said — home insulation.

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Under the Government’s new plans, up to 95 percent of the UK’s electricity could come from low-carbon sources by 2030.

Some of its outline includes the hope of producing up to 50 gigawatts (GW) of energy through offshore wind farms.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) said this would be more than enough to power every home in the UK.

However, for those like Hannah Hunt, a 23-year-old student and JSO member, this action is still not enough.

She said that while she would love to make change through her actions, “I can’t stop a fossil fuel licence alone”.

She told Express.co.uk: “We need a fair [energy] transition, that will help the workers, suppliers, communities and consumers.

“The Government must insulate the social housing stock in Britain, nearly 15 percent of total emissions come from heating and providing hot water.

“It must also roll-out free public transport and restrictions on air travel and frequent flyers — what we need is a Government policy that makes public transport free for all in order to reduce surface emissions [private vehicle use], that would result in a huge reduction for people especially in rural areas.

“There are many things that the Government needs to be doing, shifting the money it uses to subsidise oil companies being a huge one, especially in a cost of living crisis.”

Meanwhile, activists at Surrey wait for the police’s response to their action.

On Tuesday, a number of JSO members were arrested outside the Kingsbury Oil Terminal in Warwickshire.

A new High Court injunction in the area grants police “enhanced powers to prevent and disrupt any unlawful activity”.

Warwickshire Police said it had detained 16 people following the demonstration.

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