Hikoi threatens snarl-up on Auckland Harbour Bridge

By BERNARD ORSMAN

The hikoi protesting at the proposed foreshore and seabed legislation has police permission to march over the Auckland Harbour Bridge at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars and huge disruption to motorists.

The police have agreed in principle to the crossing, which comes nearly 30 years after Dame Whina Cooper led Maori land protesters on their historic march over the bridge.

Representatives from the police, Transit New Zealand and the protesters meet today to settle details but it appeared yesterday the march would take place around lunchtime tomorrow.

The two northbound clip-on lanes would be closed for the 2km march from Stafford Park at Northcote to the Curran St onramp at the Auckland City side.

Transit's Auckland regional manager Wayne McDonald said Transit had to protect the safety of protesters, including children and elderly kaumatua.

This would mean installing crash barriers and other safety measures at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars.

Transit would not charge the protesters.

Mr McDonald said the effect of reducing two traffic lanes on the bridge would be "monumental", leading to excessive queuing as far back as Penrose and Ellerslie. Some traffic would be diverted to the Northwestern Motorway.

Police strategic traffic manager Superintendent Dick Trimble said the hikoi organisers originally planned to march on the eastern side of the bridge but the police decided on a western route outside peak hours in the interests of safety and traffic movement.

The hikoi's bridge march organiser, Dr Pita Sharples, confirmed the march would take place tomorrow. Protesters are due to arrive at Northcote's Hato Petera College and Awataha Marae today and stay overnight before assembling at Stafford Park.

"The idea of the hikoi is to bring the walk to the attention of as many people as possible and so you hit all the public places that you can.

"The bridge is quite public and quite spectacular, so it has to be walked," Dr Sharples said.

North Shore Mayor George Wood is upset at the police decision to allow a group of people "hellbent on making a political statement" to cross the bridge. "It is very unusual for a group of Maori protesters to be afforded this kind of privilege in this manner," he said.

Since the harbour bridge opened in 1959, pedestrian access has been limited and only once, in 1975, has it been opened to protesters.

In April 1998, 16 people were arrested on the bridge after the police would not allow protesters marching against the Multilateral Agreement on Investment to walk across.

The marchers are due to pass through Whangarei today.

Around 150 people, accompanied by supporters in a bus, campervan and a fleet of private cars, left Cape Reinga last Thursday.

Hundreds marched through Kaikohe on Saturday and numbers are likely to swell again in Whangarei.

Sergeant Wally Broughton of Kaitaia said the march had been well organised and there had been no incidents between those taking part and passers-by.

Marchers and supporters are opposed to legislation vesting seabed and foreshore areas in Crown ownership and denying Maori the chance to claim customary title to those areas through the Maori Land Court.

Ngati Kahu runanga chairwoman Professor Margaret Mutu said there had been a lot of verbal support from onlookers along the way, including non-Maori, who wanted to know more about the hikoi.

Once the marchers are over the bridge they are expected to regroup at Bastion Pt for a rally and speeches.

They plan to reach Wellington on May 5.

Foot bridge

Pedestrian events on the harbour bridge:

* 1959: 106,000 walk over bridge at official opening.

* 1974: Pedestrians allowed on the bridge during bus stoppage.

* 1975: Maori land protesters march over the bridge.

* 1992-1993: Auckland marathon.

* 2000-2003: Auckland marathon.