Hīkoi mō te Tiriti: Wellington commuters warned to expect hours-long delays when protest march arrives at Parliament

• Wellington commuters have been told to allow for extra travel time on Tuesday
• Buses will be diverted around the hīkoi to temporary stops
• Porirua, Petone and Waikanae train stations may be busier than usual
• Road closures and parking restrictions will be in place around Parliament grounds

There will be extra buses and train carriages to ease congestion in the capital as te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrives at Parliament on Tuesday.

However, commuters are still being warned to still allow extra time for travel, and add one or even two hours to their trips.

The national protest, against government legislation including the Treaty Principles Bill, is expected to be one of the biggest in the capital in recent years, according to Wellington City Council.

Communications manager Richard Maclean said those heading into the city should expect long delays.

"If you're trying to get across town or you're trying to come into town on Tuesday morning, you should be starting early and you should be adding maybe even one or two hours to your trip, I mean especially if you're trying to do something like head to the airport from somewhere like the Hutt Valley, or the Kāpiti Coast or Porirua."

Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Daran Ponter said all Metlink rail lines would be open throughout the day to ensure the safe movement of the hīkoi, as well as commuters and students.

The aim was to allow the hīkoi to pass in and out of the city with minimal disruption, and scheduled services would run as planned, he said.

There would be bus diversions around the hīkoi to temporary stops in Wellington city centre, and passengers should expect delays, he said.

• Read more: Retracing the footsteps of past Māori protest movements
• Read more: Te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti in photos

"Plan ahead, allow extra time for travel, and be prepared with a plan B in case delays make it difficult to leave the city in time for school pick-ups and evening plans."

Railway stations at Porirua, Petone and Waikanae were expected to be the main boarding points for the hīkoi, and commuters should expect them to be busier than usual, he said.

The council's transport chair Thomas Nash said it had "maxed out capacity" on all the rail lines.

"Our primary focus is trying to get people through the public transport network as smoothly and safely as we can. On that day it is going to be super busy."

Nash was asking passengers to be patient with drivers and public transport staff.

Traffic management would be in place as people marched along the Golden Mile from Waitangi Park to Parliament.

Ponter said KiwiRail had paused rail maintenance work so the Hutt Valley Line could remain open on Tuesday.

"Extra carriages will be added to all rail services between 9am and 3pm on 19 November to encourage hīkoi participants not to bring their cars into the city."

The bus interchange opposite Parliament would close as the hīkoi moved down the Golden Mile.

After the gathering at Parliament, organisers planned to return to Waitangi Park in the afternoon.

Wellington City Council said road closures and parking restrictions would be in place around Parliament grounds until the conclusion of the demonstration.

Hīkoi movements

Police said the hīkoi would travel along the Golden Mile on Courtenay Place, Manners Street, Willis Street and Lambton Quay.

One part of the group would leave in cars from Porirua around 6am and travel south on SH59, then SH1 towards Wellington City.

Another group would leave Petone at 4am on Tuesday by foot and march via the Esplanade, SH2 to Ngauranga, Hutt Road and Thorndon Quay.

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