Traffic in Surbiton and New Malden was brought to a standstill this morning by two one-person climate protests.

In a co-ordinated effort, Extinction Rebellion members held single-person protests in town centres across the UK at 11am this morning (May 1).

Traffic was stopped for over an hour on in Victoria Road, Surbiton and High Street, New Malden amid the peaceful sit-down protests, which saw police called to the scene.

An XR spokesman said: “Two years ago today the UK Parliament declared an environment and climate emergency.

"Yet in February this year the chief executive of the Environment Agency Sir James Bevan said the UK is hitting worst case environmental scenarios that if left unchecked would collapse ecosystems, slash crop yields, take out the infrastructure that our civilisation depends on, and destroy the basis of the modern economy and modern society.

Picture by Stephen Norman Young

Picture by Stephen Norman Young

"The Committee on Climate Change and the National Audit Office - who monitor the Government - are warning the public that the government’s climate plans are failing to materialise.

"They are still not taking this seriously. People need to step up and demand action."

Other protests also took place in London this morning including Bromley in southeast London, among many others across the country.

The protests have drawn a range of reactions across the capital - with some praising the bravery of individuals taking part, while others criticised them for disrupting other people's day.

XR said the individual actions are intended to be covid safe, but they also highlight the personal fears and vulnerability of everyday people to the consequences of climate and ecological breakdown.