KEY POINTS:
One of the largest protests in the country for years clogged roads in the main centres today but failed to bring the hours of road chaos authorities had predicted.
An estimated 4000 trucks converged on the main city centres and smaller towns throughout New Zealand in protest at
the government's plan to increase road user charges.
By 8am the roads were jammed but police estimated the number of private cars on the roads, particularly in Auckland, was down between 30 and 40 per cent and the predicted nightmare of a city-wide traffic gridlock did not happen.
Between 2500 and 3000 trucks headed into Auckland on the three main motorways but some were turned back as their progress slowed, the city streets began to clog up and the organisers made their point publicly.
Yesterday police had predicted that after the protest ended and the trucks had begun to leave the city centre, it would take several hours for the streets to return to normal.
That prediction was not borne out and by 11am the large contingent of police deployed to handle the predicted road chaos had been stood down as Auckland city streets returned to their normal Friday traffic flows.
Even before that, the roads outside the two circular routes the trucks took around the city were remarkably clear.
Traffic in lower Queen St was very light throughout the protest until it starting building when the trucks headed out of the city about 10am.
"It was probably one of the best days we have had as far as congestion went, other than when the trucks got to the central city," said Inspector Ross Endicott-Davies from the Auckland city police district.
"The truckies were excellent and in the main complied with instructions to keep intersections clear and it went swimmingly. I was very happy," he said.
Trucks flooded into other cities around the country but, as in Auckland, advance warnings and the urgings of police for people to avoid city centres, delay their trips or take the day off worked, and dramas were avoided.
Wellington police said the protest and traffic management worked "very well" and there were only minor issues as people approached intersections and with merging.
Wellington police spokeswoman Kaye Calder said a long convoy of 300 trucks headed into the Wellington city centre before filing past Parliament on their way out of town.
As the first trucks looped around the city and rejoined the northbound motorway, they passed the convoy tail which was still heading into town.
In Christchurch more than three times the predicted number of trucks arrived. Instead of 200 trucks, police had counted at least 600 by 8am.
Road policing group acting Senior Sergeant Les McKay said by 10am, as traffic returned to normal, Christchurch police were also reflecting on how smoothly the protest had been and how well behaved the convoy of trucks was.
"We've had no major problems. We're sort of lucky in that we have a lot of intersections which has split them up a little bit. There's been a little bit of a bottleneck but it hasn't hung over," Mr McKay said.
He said the truckies had a lot of support "and they've done nothing to alienate that support which is a tick in the box for everybody".
Dunedin emergency response manager Inspector Alastair Dickie said police were able to divert all vehicles other than trucks to alternative routes to the city.
"Everything was fine, we had about 35 staff on intersections, putting in diversions and making sure there was no congestion."
Truckies in Hamilton received a warm welcome from residents, many standing on the side of the road in pyjamas and nightgowns and clapping and waving. Some bakery workers offered truckies hot pies.
Hamilton motorists also heeded the police advice to leave home early or took a different route.
Road Transport Forum (RTU) chief executive Tony Friedlander said support for the truckies around the country had been "outstanding".
"We've had the odd criticism from some people but frankly they've been a very small minority. It's an indication that people recognise the fact that the industry has been poorly treated."
He said the number of trucks in the protest exceeded expectations in every city, demonstrating just how angry the industry was.
Last night transport minister Annette King agreed to set up a working party to examine the way road user charges were set for heavy vehicles.
The new charges were due to come immediately after the announcement, in spite of a promise to give a month's notice before any increase.
The government said the trucking industry should pay its fair share towards transport infrastructure.
But after today's protest Mike Herrick, from the northern region of the Road Transport Association, said truckies had always been happy to pay their fair share of roading costs and believed they always had paid their fair share and more.
"It's about the mechanism these increases are dealt with."
- NZPA
