Protest convoy rolls through Hawke's Bay after crawl across SH5

An anti-mandate protest convoy has rolled through Hawke's Bay after wet SH5 road conditions slowed its arrival.

The protest in Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland

The Convoy 2022 NZ group is protesting Covid mandates by driving in convoys - including large trucks - from the top of the North Island and the bottom of the South Island, meeting in Wellington on Tuesday.

People were waiting for upwards of an hour along Marine Parade in Napier to greet the convoy, which began arriving in groups around noon.

Others were standing under umbrellas near Westshore to wave the convoy on.

About 100 vehicles taking part in the convoy were kitted out with signs and flags.

A truck driving down Marine Parade as part of the convoy. Photo / Warren Buckland

A Napier resident, who did not want to be named, said she was driving home from Taupo and got caught behind the protest convoy.

The Taupo-Napier journey took her about two and a half hours.

It usually takes an hour and 50 minutes to two hours, depending on road conditions.

She said the convoy was travelling on average at about 50km/h on the highway, which will soon be reduced to an 80kmh speed limit.

She said it became dangerous when long queues of other frustrated motorists would try and overtake.

"They were just slowing the traffic down," she said.

"Everyone is entitled to have their say but I think they made things very dangerous."