A LEADING south Essex Conservative councillor has condemned the action carried out today by members of the JustStopOil campaign group that has caused widespread traffic chaos in South Essex.

Two members of the group climbed suspension cables on the QEII bridge at the Dartford Crossing today.

Their ascent started just after 3am and police were immediately alerted, closing the bridge to traffic. That action continue and has caused massive disruption for people trying to get to work, to make appointments or simply carry out their daily lives.

One of the two protesters, Morgan Trowland, had taken to social media from his perch high above the River Thames to expound his views and the reasons for his actions.

Morgan Trowland.

He has met with a welter of comments in response – mostly critical.

And among the most strongly-worded is an outburst from Basildon Conservative councillor Andrew Schrader on the JustStopOil Twitter account. He says: "Look at what you're doing to yourselves. No-one on this stupid bombastic account ever has the balls to reply but look at the comments.

"Look what you're doing to ordinary people and their lives. Chaos and gridlock and some poor deranged twit freezing to death on a bridge and for what?

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"You're turning people against your cause in their droves. You've put the case for environmentalism back decades just at the point it had joined the mainstream and was being taken seriously and achieving real progress. You utter muppets."