Birmingham City Council has applied to extend a court injunction preventing bin lorries from being blocked at city depots until 2028. The High Court order against 'persons unknown' was originally granted in February after waste trucks were obstructed during protests at depots in Perry Barr, Kings Norton and Tyseley. Anyone breaching the injunction faces up to two years in prison, fines, or asset seizure.
Council Seeks Long-Term Extension
The council applied on April 20 to extend the injunction until January 1, 2028, with a hearing scheduled at Birmingham Civil and Family Centre. This comes just days after the authority announced a tentative deal with Unite union to end the long-running bin strike. Council leader John Cotton said the pre-election period prevented finalising the dispute resolution before May 7's local election. Cotton has faced criticism from opposition groups over the timing of the announcement.
Council Statement on Injunction
A council spokesperson said: "The injunction prohibits protesting activities by persons unknown who, in support of strikes organised by Unite the Union and without the council's consent, enter, occupy, or block or obstruct the entering or exiting of any other individual or vehicle."
Previous Breaches and Fines
Unite was fined more than £250,000 in March for breaching a separate High Court order by illegally blocking bin lorries. The union's actions contributed to mounting rubbish across parts of Birmingham during repeated incidents at the depots. The extended injunction would run alongside existing lawful protest provisions under a separate court order against Unite granted last year.
