Wellington traffic: Police slam 'reckless' protesters

Police moved the protesters off the highway onto a grassy roadside area. Photo / Ly Sopheara

Charges have been laid after protesters calling for increased spending on passenger rail blocked a Wellington highway for the third time this week.

The Restore Passenger Rail activists sat in front of traffic on State Highway 2 at Melling in the Hutt Valley about 8.15am on Friday.

Police said six people were arrested following the protest action and have now been charged with trespass and criminal nuisance.

"In addition to the offence of being a pedestrian on the motorway, it's reckless," said Hutt Valley Area Commander Dion Bennett.

"It's extremely disappointing and meant our staff had to move fast to keep all road users in the area safe.

"I don't know why the participants thought this was a safe act to undertake and it had the added consequence of causing disruption to members of the community who were just trying to go about their day."

Images of the protest were posted on Facebook, with one commenter saying: "Idiot protesters blocking traffic again ... Third time this week."

The Restore Passenger Rail group has staged two other protests this week, blocking traffic on SH1 near the Terrace Tunnel on Monday and Wednesday.

Six people were arrested and charged with wilful trespass and criminal nuisance following the Wednesday protest action.

The group says passenger rail should be restored around the country, to relieve the cost of living and climate crises.

"We need to start acting with real urgency, by listening to figures like UN Secretary General António Guterres, who says delay means death," says Restore Passenger Rail spokesman James Cockle.