Greenpeace protesters close Forth Road Bridge after abseiling off the side

Environmental activists have caused the Forth Road Bridge near Edinburgh to close, after abseiling off the side of it in order to block a tanker.

Greenpeace said ten protesters were taking part in the demonstration against a tanker carrying fracked gas. Images show the activists hanging from the bridge with banners flying.

They are protesting against the Ineos ship Independence, due to arrive at Grangemouth on Friday. Greenpeace has accused the firm of attempting to sabotage a global plastics treaty which is set to be voted on in less than a fortnight by UN member states in Switzerland.

Greenpeace is calling for these talks to agree to a cut in global plastic production of at least 75 per cent by 2040, and for the UN to exclude lobbyists from Ineos and other fossil fuels companies from the treaty negotiations.

Amy Cameron, programme director at Greenpeace UK said: “Plastic pollution has reached a crisis point: it’s poisoning our land, seas, air, even our bodies. The Global Plastics Treaty offers us a once in a generation chance to tackle the problem for good, so it’s no surprise Ineos and its billionaire boss, Jim Ratcliffe, are doing everything they can to stop it.

“Ratcliffe tries to distract us with sports teams and sponsorships, but we’re not going to let him fill our planet with plastic, so he can fill his pockets with profit. Ratcliffe is trying to block a strong Global Plastics Treaty, so today we’re blocking him.”

However, Ineos has described protest as “dangerous, disruptive, and entirely counterproductive.”

“It may grab headlines, but it does absolutely nothing to reduce plastic pollution or deliver real-world solutions, and ultimately threatens skilled jobs in Scotland,” it added in a statement.

Although Greenpeace has claimed the plastics industry is planning on sending “hundreds of lobbyists” to the meeting of UN members – Ineos has said it is only sending two people.

The activists suspended themselves using ropes and are about 25 metres from the water level at high tide.

They have a support team on the bridge itself and on the water, with the group saying they plan to stay in place for 24 hours – using hammocks to make themselves comfortable if they need to.

The group has blocked the deep-water shipping lane, meaning larger vessels can’t access the channel, but smaller boats are unaffected.

A RNLI boat was dispatched to the scene this afternoon from a nearby station.

A statement from Police Scotland read: “The Forth Road Bridge is closed due to a protest reported to police around 1.05pm on Friday, 25 July.

“Officers are in attendance and engaging with those involved. Please avoid the area.”

An Ineos spokesperson said it produces materials that society relies on, from wind turbine blades and medical equipment, to clean drinking water pipes – it claims to even make the safety harnesses used by the protestors.

In a statement, they added: “Unless groups like Greenpeace stop attacking companies like Ineos and start supporting the rollout of waste infrastructure and advanced recycling, they are actively contributing to the problem.

“They’re standing in the way of the very solutions that are needed, whether we produce more or less plastic.

“If Greenpeace truly cared about outcomes, they’d stop targeting the companies delivering change and start supporting serious policy reform on waste collection and global recycling standards.

“We will continue to operate safely, legally, and responsibly and we will continue to stand up for British industry, energy security, and practical environmental progress.”