Painting found on Harbour Bridge during rush hour traffic

Thursday, 1 July 2021

Cycling protesters push past police barrier to ride on harbour bridge. (First published May 2021)

Police have decided to not launch an investigation after a painting was found on the south side of Auckland’s Harbour Bridge during rush hour traffic.

The painting was found on the guardrail in between the southbound lanes, propped up underneath an 80kmh speed sign.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said they had the painting removed within 15 minutes of its placement on Wednesday morning.

A painting was found on Wednesday morning in rush hour traffic on the south side of Auckland's Harbour Bridge.

“State Highway 1 across the Auckland Harbour Bridge is a high speed motorway with no protection for pedestrians.

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Cyclists breach the police barricade and make their way onto the Auckland Harbour Bridge during a protest in May.

“We would like to remind people it’s illegal to purposefully stop on the Harbour Bridge,” an agency spokesperson said.

The impressionistic-style painting portrays a wistful scene of Auckland’s transport network, with walkers, cyclists, and a train in the foreground, and the CBD and maunga in the background.

The person who placed the painting remains at large and the artist remains anonymous.

It comes a month after the Liberate the Lane protest on the Harbour Bridge which shut down two northbound lanes as protesters cycled over it. The group wants a dedicated cycle lane on the bridge.

Barbara Cuthbert, chairwoman of Bike Auckland, denied the group’s involvement but said: “I wish that it was us.”

“I think it’s brilliant, we need more people action.

“This is just an unstoppable force.”