Hikoi raises safety fears for Auckland Harbour Bridge

By PHILIP ENGLISH

Motorway managers predict disruption on Auckland roads today as the hikoi against the foreshore legislation crosses the harbour bridge.

They also fear the footsteps of up to 1000 people on the bridge could cause it to sway dangerously.

Police will close the bridge's two western northbound lanes about 10.20am. The hikoi is expected to cross from 11am.

Three lanes will be left for drivers travelling north and three for those travelling south.

"We know full well that in terms of normal demand in either direction the bridge will not cope," said Transit New Zealand's regional manager, Wayne McDonald. "The only way we can manage this whole situation is to persuade as many people as possible not to travel over the bridge."

Mr McDonald also warned motorists to stay away from the motorway in central Auckland between 10am and 2pm to allow time for traffic to clear.

He suggested those who had to travel took alternative routes using State Highways 16 and 20.

Police planners met hikoi organisers yesterday to settle on timetable, route and convoy arrangements.

Maori activist Mike Smith, a hikoi organiser, was urging Aucklanders wanting to walk across the bridge to join the march.

"We would like some company. It's a once-in-a-while event," he said.

But more marchers could cause an extra problem.

When 3000 land marchers crossed the bridge's southbound eastern lanes in 1975 they set up a swaying that caused alarm. There was a worry the bridge might collapse.

Mr McDonald said: "If everybody marches literally in step you can destroy a structure and that is well known.

"People have talked about the last time when they did not break step and they started to get this motion going. It is a very serious consideration."

He hoped the police would instruct the marchers to break step.

Mr Smith said the marchers would certainly comply. He was not too bothered by criticism of the march as a "motorised hikoi".

The National MP for Epsom, Richard Worth, said the marchers were being driven from Whangarei to North Shore City before being set down to walk across the bridge.

The bridge walk, he said, was a publicity exercise that would cause huge disruption.