PROTESTS have come to an end as traffic on the A66 returns to normal.

Vehicles this morning were backed-up from the A66 to A174 as demonstrations were held on Tees Dock road.

MGT Teesside has confirmed the disruption was a result of unofficial industrial action at the Tees Renewable Energy Plant.

An incident on the boiler occurred on Tuesday where a suspended load unexpectedly moved during installation.

The company said no one was hurt and the area was immediately quarantined.

As a further precaution all workers within the boiler were relocated to their mess cabins.

MGT Teesside added once the area had been classified as safe the workers were advised and requested to return to work, they refused.

A secondary review of the area was undertaken and the area was again declared safe, however the workers refused to return.

The protest was expected to continue until Friday morning but Cleveland Police have stated the action has come to an end.

 

 

Assistant Chief Constable Jason Harwin said this morning: “Officers are currently responding to a protest at the Biomass site on Tees Dock Road in Middlesbrough.

“The protest is causing traffic disruption in the surrounding areas, particularly the A66 to the A174 which is expected to last until 4pm.

“Officers are at the scene facilitating the management of traffic and are asking members of the public to please avoid the area until further notice and to use alternative routes.

“Police have also been informed that the protest is likely to continue tomorrow morning and are asking people to consider avoiding the area until informed otherwise.

“Thank you for your patience whilst officers are dealing with this incident.”

A spokesperson for MGT said “it is very sad that we now have yet another unofficial industrial action on the project without any of the procedures of the Blue Book contract having been followed.

"It is not clear what the workers’ demands are, and under the rules of the Blue Book agreement with the Unions, the employers involved are not allowed to discuss a resolution to the issues until the workforce returns to work”.