Major delays to bus travel and severe crowding of peak hour trains are expected tomorrow (Friday 4 July) morning, due to the truck drivers’ protest.
Wellington motorway and CBD is expected to be gridlocked from 7am-10am.
Wayne Hastie, Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Public Transport divisional manager, said bus and train operators would try their best to provide normal services but the circumstances were beyond their control.
“Clearly, the inner city could be gridlocked for a couple of hours, so we would strongly advise people who can avoid travelling between 7am and 9.30am tomorrow to do so.
“People who are planning to take public transport to the airport for early morning flights or the ferry terminals for early sailings need to make sure they are in the city by 7am.”
A NZ Bus spokesperson says every effort will be made to run all timetabled services tomorrow morning but that passengers should be aware of potentially significant delays and, where possible, travel to work during off-peak times to avoid disruptions to their journey.
More people are also expected to be catching trains tomorrow to avoid disruption on the roads. Tranz Metro communications manager Nigel Parry said Tranz Metro would provide the maximum capacity possible on all services. “We will do the best we can for train commuters. We will have plenty of off-peak capacity for passengers who do not need to travel at peak time.”
Two convoys are expected to leave McKays Crossing on SH1 and Seaview, near Petone, at 7am. The convoy will travel along the urban motorway to The Terrace tunnel onto Vivian Street. Dangerous goods vehicles will exit at The Terrace off ramp to rejoin the convoy in Vivian Street. It will travel to Taranaki Street, then onto Jervois Quay, turning into Whitmore Street and then up to Parliament.
For more information, please contact:
Wayne Hastie
Greater Wellington
04 802 0306
Jonathan Knox, NZ Bus / Go Wellington
021 840 839
Nigel Parry, Tranz Metro
0274 359 464