Social-media rescue for stranded commuters

WEATHER BOMB: Cars negotiate flooding on SH1 in Kapiti. PHOTO/MARK MITCHELL

Wellington hospitality and social media came to the rescue of commuters stranded in the capital after Thursday's "weather bomb".

Commuters who had taken train and buses from Wairarapa, Kapiti and the Hutt Valley were stranded in Wellington, with cars being the only option out via Porirua and SH58 to the Hutt Valley.

Alex Ball of Featherston opted to wait until 11pm to drive home from Wellington.

By then SH2 had reopened and the roads were clear, he said.

He said he got "many offers" of a bed for the night and thought most people would have found somewhere to stay.

A Facebook site, "Stuck in town tonight - Wellington" was set up for people to offer beds, rides to work, or hunt for a driver going their way.

Even the administrators had to post a plea for help with co-ordinating the page, as it started as "me and a few stuck friends".

The page received nearly 4000 likes. Regular postings from the administrators called for places to stay and offers of beds, in between weather and road updates.

One such posting received 36 offers of a bed in Wellington and Porirua, including offers to collect people.

Other people posted their commuter route, offering to collect stranded workers along the way, or take them to work yesterday.

The Wellington City Council opened the mezzanine floor of the Wellington Public Library on Thursday evening for anyone who wanted shelter for the night and had nowhere to go.

Council spokesman Clayton Anderson said about 20 students on a field trip to nearby Te Papa museum camped out in the library until buses could be sorted.

He said in the end no one needed the library overnight, but "a few cups of tea" was welcome.

"It seemed like everybody knew someone in town and dossed with them. It's not surprising, really. People had friends, work colleagues."

TranzMetro had no train or bus services from Wairarapa yesterday morning.