Two men have been charged following a protest that halted traffic on the QEII Bridge for 42 hours.

The bridge has now reopened after two Just Stop Oil protestors scaled the Dartford Crossing just before 4am on Monday.

Officers brought in a raised platform to bring down and arrest two the two who had scaled the bridge yesterday and confirmed this afternoon that they had charged both in connection with the incident.

Morgan Trowland, 39, of Drummond Way, Islington and Marcus Decker, 33, of no fixed address have been charged with conspiracy to commit a public nuisance.

They have been remanded in custody to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Thursday October 20).

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow of Essex Police said: “Our priorities have always been to keep people safe and work with our partners to keep Essex moving.

“We have done this consistently during incidents of disruption across the county this year and again this week.

“As we have consistently said, we are not anti-protest but we must take action when we believe laws have been broken and the safety of the public is put at risk.”

After the two protestors were brought down, the bridge remained closed for some hours while safety checks were carried out, before finally reopening last night.

Motorists had been warned to expect further traffic chaos during the protest by Just Stop Oil, which saw the two men straddling the suspension cables.

Traffic was being diverted via the east bore tunnel at Dartford, with Kent Highways warning there would be a second day of lengthy delays on both sides of the crossing.

In a video released yesterday morning, Mr Trowland, the bridge design engineer who slept in a hammock on the crossing last night said: "We've just survived our first night up here, I was pretty cold and didn't sleep much but I'm ok.

"We're up here until the government makes a meaningful statement to cancel all new licenses and consents for oil and gas extraction."

Traffic was able to travel in both directions through the tunnels, but the decreased capacity caused delays of several hours on the M25 and the A282, as well as congestion on the local roads in the area.

There were also delays on approaching roads to the M25, including on the A13 near Thurrock and the A2 near Darenth.

Read more: What do Just Stop Oil want?

Motorists were advised to avoid travelling to the Dartford Crossing and should consider alternative routes where possible.

Sean Martell, from National Highways, said: "Our primary concern is always safety. Protesting on the strategic road network is extremely dangerous, both for the protesters themselves and for motorists.

"People rely on the strategic road network for so many things and they have a right to expect it to operate as it should."

The pair were brought down at around 6pm and the road reopened at about 10pm.

Just Stop Oil says the two climbers ascended the two 84m masts on the north side of the crossing.

The duo have now begun 'descending on ropes' and have a line between them that is holding up a Just Stop Oil sign.

They say this is part of the 'next phase'.

Mr Trowland, 39, said: “As a professional civil engineer, each year as I renew my registration, I commit to acting within our code of ethics, which requires me to safeguard human life and welfare and the environment. Our government has enacted suicidal laws to accelerate oil production: killing human life and destroying our environment. I can’t challenge this madness in my desk job, designing bridges, so I’m taking direct action, occupying the QE2 bridge until the government stops all new oil.”

Marcus, 33, a teacher from London said: “Too many people in this country simply don’t know the scale and intensity of climate breakdown as the scientists describe it. The authorities are criminally failing to get this grim science communicated. During Covid the science was conveyed on a daily basis. Why isn’t the most existential threat that humanity has ever faced on the news every day?

“Our political system is betraying the people of this country. More fossil fuel licenses means global genocide. Only direct action will now help to reach the social tipping point we so urgently need.”

The protest was the 17th in a row for the group, with 450 arrests after incidents including a tin of soup being hurled at Van Gough's Sunflowers painting in the National Gallery and the spray painting of New Scotland Yard's famous revolving sign.

"This is not a one day event, expect us every day and anywhere. This is an act of resistance against a criminal government and their genocidal death project. Our supporters will be returning – today, tomorrow and the next day – and the next day after that – and every day until our demand is met: no new oil and gas in the UK," said the group.