Fines issued for walking preschoolers through motorway tunnel

Two early childhood workers have been fined by police after they led a group of preschoolers through a Wellington motorway tunnel.

Two adults were issued with infringement notices of $250 each after they escorted a group of seven young children along an emergency access path through The Terrace tunnel.

Concerned motorists phoned police after they spotted the group walking along the narrow concrete ledge, within a few metres of traffic travelling at up to 100km/h.

The group was from an Early Years Childcare Learning Centre in the central city.

A spokeswoman from the company that owns the centre told National Radio the childcare workers' actions had breached policy and an investigation was underway.

One mother said she had not known a day trip was planned until police phoned her to say her child had been picked up.

"They had collected them from the motorway tunnel, walking north on the southbound side," she said.

The police officer told her it was "very dangerous because the walkway was very narrow".

The tunnel, which has a 100km/h speed limit, has warning signs at both ends and a barrier on the northern end to stop pedestrians entering.

The eight preschoolers and their two adult escorts must have entered the tunnel from a maintenance track, and would have had to scale a concrete barrier at the northern end.

A spokesman for Transit New Zealand in Wellington, Mark Owen, said it was very dangerous for anyone to attempt to walk through the tunnel.

"The footpath is just a concrete ledge, very narrow, very dangerous," he told National Radio.

He said pedestrians would be well advised to avoid motorways, "particularly when you're taking preschoolers out for a walk".

- NZPA