Detours & closures

Newtown Festival Detour - Sunday, 8 March 2026

Newtown streets, including parts of Riddiford Street, Rintoul Street and Constable Street, will be closed for the festival. Buses will detour from 5am to 9pm, and a special festival shuttle will run between Wellington Station, the festival (temporary stops), and Kilbirnie. 

Newtown Festival Shuttle Bus

A Shuttle Bus will run between Wellington Station Stop A and Kilbirnie every half hour, stopping at temporary stops for the festival. Standard fares apply. Please scroll down to view the Shuttle timetable and map. 

The following services will be impacted by the detour:

Please expect delays and allow additional time for travel.

Detour map:

Route 1:

Route 1 buses:

• Will detour away from Riddiford Street and continue on Adelaide Road.
• It will not stop at any bus stops on Rintoul Street, Luxford Street, and Riddford Street. 
• It will not stop at Wellington Hospital.

Route 1 services will detour away and not stop at the following open bus stops between 5am and 9pm:

Northbound:

Stop #7017 – Wellington Hospital – Stop B

Southbound:

Stop #6055 – Wellington Hospital – Stop A

Note: For all Route 1 services, the nearest bus stops are the Route 32x bus stops on Adelaide Road.

Route 1 services travelling northbound to Wellington City and southbound to Island Bay will detour by staying on Adelaide Road between Berhampore and Newtown, and will not stop at any bus stops on Rintoul Street, Luxford Street, and Riddford Street. 

This is the same route that the 32x takes between Berhampore and Newtown. 

Route 1 services will not stop at Wellington Hospital: 

• Stop #7017 – Wellington Hospital – Stop B (Northbound)
• Stop #6055 – Wellington Hospital – Stop A (Southbound)

Please note: All other services will stop at the above Wellington Hospital bus stops before detouring (Routes 3, 4, 18, 23, 29).

Route 3, Route 4, and Route 18:

Route 3, 4 and 18 services travelling northbound toward Wellington City detour from Constable Street right into Daniell Street and left into Mein Street returning to Riddiford Street.

Route 3, 4 and 18 services travelling southbound toward Kilbirnie, and the South Coast travel left from Riddiford Street into Mein Street, right into Owen Street and left into Constable Street.

Route 23

Route 23 services travelling northbound toward Wellington City will detour from the Zoo, down Daniell Street and left into Mein Street, returning to Riddiford Street.

Route 23 services travelling southbound toward Houghton Bay travel left from Riddiford Street into Mein Street, right into Owen Street, right into Lawrence Street and left on Daniell Street toward the Zoo.

Route 29

Route 29 services travelling northbound towards Wellington City detours from Russell Terrace into Rhodes Street, left into Daniell Street and left into Mein Street.

Route 29 services travelling southbound towards Island Bay detours from Riddiford Street into Mein Street, right into Owen Street, right into Lawrence Street, right into Daniell Street, left into Rhodes Street to Russell Terrace.

Newtown Festival Shuttle

Newtown Festival Shuttle Timetable [PDF, 936 KB]

Temporary bus stop locations

Northbound locations

• Rhodes Street near Mansfield Street (Route 29)
• Daniell Street near Normanby Street (Routes 23, 29)
• Daniell Street near Constable Street (Routes 3, 4, 18, 23, 29)
• Mein Street outside Newtown School (Routes 3, 4, 18, 23, 29)

Southbound Locations

• Mein Street opposite the Daniell St intersection (Routes 3, 4, 18, 23, 29)
• Owen Street near Wilson Street (Routes 3, 4, 18, 23, 29)
• Rhodes Street near Mansfield Street (Routes 29)

Closed Bus Stops

Closed northbound bus stops

• Bus Stop #7018 – Riddiford Street at Hall Street
• Bus Stop #7019 – Riddiford Street at Newtown Shops (opposite 157)
• Bus Stop #7020 – Constable Street (near 14)
• Bus Stop #7120 – Rintoul Street at Stoke Street (near 76)
• Bus Stop #7121 – Wakefield Hospital – Rintoul Street (near 128)
• Bus Stop #7122 – Rintoul Street at Waripori Street (near 188)
• Bus Stop #7123 – Luxford Street at Rintoul Street (near 2)
• Bus Stop #7124 – Luxford Street at Berhampore Shops
• Bus Stop #7920 – Riddiford Street at Gordon Street (Caltex)
• Bus Stop #7922 – Mansfield Street near Roy Street

Closed southbound bus stops

• Bus Stop #6019 – Riddiford Street at Newtown Shops (near 157)
• Bus Stop #6021 – Constable Street at Owen Street (near 77)
• Bus Stop #6119 – Rintoul Street at Newtown Shops (near 5)
• Bus Stop #6120 – Rintoul Street at Stoke Street (near 61)
• Bus Stop #6121 – Wakefield Hospital – Rintoul Street (near 99)
• Bus Stop #6123 – Rintoul Street (near 191)
• Bus Stop #6124 – Berhampore Shops – Luxford Street (opposite BP)
• Bus Stop #6920 – Riddiford Street (near 233)
• Bus Stop #6921 – Mansfield Street (near 277)
• Bus Stop #6922 – Mansfield Street at Roy Street (near 311)

Saturday 7 March – Detours from 4pm to 7pm

Bus direction summary

• Northbound buses (toward Wellington Station): Detour in place
• Southbound buses (toward Courtenay Place): No detour
  (Except Routes 3 and 27, which detour in both directions)

Scroll down for maps.

Routes 1, 4, 23 and 29 – Detour toward Wellington Station

Buses travelling northbound towards Lambton Quay detour via: Adelaide Road → Karo Drive → Willis Street → Lambton Quay (normal route resumes).

These buses do not stop on Cambridge Terrace, Courtenay Place or Manners Street.

Alternate stops
Customers can use Willis Street stops instead.

• 7708 - Willis Street at Flagfall Lane(external link)
• 5008 - Willis Street at Grand Arcade(external link) (opposite Lego Store)

Stops missed

• 7013 – Cambridge Terrace at Barker Street
• 7012 – Cambridge Terrace at Vivian Street
• 5000 – Courtenay Place – Stop A
• 5002 – Courtenay Place at St James Theatre
• 5515 – Manners Street at Cuba Street – Stop A
• 5006 – Manners Street at Willis Street

Routes AX, 2, 14, 20 and 24 – Detour toward Wellington Station

Buses detour via:
Wakefield Street → Jervois Quay → Willeston Street → Lambton Quay (normal route resumes).

 Alternate stops

• A temporary bus stop is located on Lambton Quay near the Willis Street Intersection.
• Stop 6509 Wakefield St(external link) (near no 234, near the lanes)

Closed stops

• 5000 – Courtenay Place – Stop A
• 5002 – Courtenay Place at St James Theatre
• 5515 – Manners Street at Cuba Street – Stop A
• 5006 – Manners Street at Willis Street
• 5008 – Willis Street at Grand Arcade

Routes 3 and 27 – Detour in both directions

Northbound (toward Wellington Station)

Detour via:
Taranaki Street → Ghuznee Street → Willis Street

Alternate northbound stops

• 7909 - Ghuznee St at Cuba(external link)
• 7708 - Willis Street at Flagfall Lane(external link)
• 5008 - Willis Street at Grand Arcade (opposite Lego Store)

Northbound Stops missed

• 7910 – Taranaki Street
• All Manners Street stops

Southbound (toward Newtown)

Detour via:
Manners Street → Victoria Street → Vivian Street → Taranaki Street

Alternate southbound stops

• 6708 - Victoria St at Dixon St
• 6911 – Taranaki at Frederick St

Southbound stops missed

• 6910 – Taranaki Street
• All Manners Street stops

Routes 21, 52 and 83 – Northbound start from Wakefield Street

These services begin their trip from Stop 6509 – Wakefield Street(external link).

• Route 21/ Route 52/ Route 83: Detours via Wakefield Street → Victoria Street → Ghuznee Street (normal route resumes).

Routes 7, 17, 25

•  no impact to these services

Detour Maps Below

Route AX, 2, 14, 24,52, 83

[PNG, 766 KB]

Route 21

[PNG, 602 KB]

Routes 3 and Route 27

[PNG, 778 KB]

Routes 1, 4, 23,29

[PNG, 743 KB]

Start: works is scheduled to start Monday 2 March 2026
(hours: detour in place 24/7)

What’s happening?

In Lower Hutt, the existing roundabout at Queens Drive and High Street is to be removed and replaced with a traffic light intersection.

This work is part of Te Wai Takamori o Awa Kairangi Project. (RiverLink).

Learn more : 

Te Awa Kairangi Project(external link)

When will this work begin?

Works are scheduled to begin on Monday 2 March and run until December 2026

Are delays expected?

Yes, we expect increased congestion around the Queens Drive and High Street work site, which will affect journey times.

Please allow extra time for your travel as delays may vary throughout the day.

Are buses impacted?

Yes, bus Routes 110, 120, 145, 149, School bus 951 and N22 will detour via Cornwall Street for the duration of the works.

What about bus stops?

Two bus stops on High Street will be closed, with temporary stops located on Cornwall Street

Which bus stops will be closed?

Two stops on High Street will remain closed until the new traffic‑light intersection is completed in December

• Stop 9117 (next to Burger King) – High Street at Melling Link
• Stop 8117 (outside Nissan) – High St (near 390)

Where are the temporary bus stops (Cornwall Street)?

The two temporary stops will be on Cornwall Street:

• Near 23 Cornwall Street at Pretoria Street intersection (opposite café Twenty-Eight)
• At 26A Cornwall Street (at Raroa Road intersection)

If you normally use stop 9117 (outside Burger King), routes 110,120, 145, 149, School 951, N22.

Passengers travelling northbound away from Queensgate can use:

• The temporary stop is located on Cornwall Street (near 23 Cornwall St at Pretoria St), approx. 200m walk,

         or

• Stop 9118 on High Street at Melling Road, approx. 320m away.

If you normally use stop 8117 (outside Nissan), routes 110,120,149, School 951.

Passengers travelling southbound toward Queensgate can use:

• The temporary stop at 26a Cornwall Street (at Raroa Rd intersection), approx. 300m via Raroa Road.

         or

• Stop 8116 on Queens Drive (at Kings Crescent), approx. 260m away.

See bus stop map below

[PNG, 504 KB]

Bus detours

Routes affected: 110, 120, 149, Night Bus N22 and School 951.

Buses travelling northbound towards Stokes Valley, Harbour View or Upper Hutt, will detour from Queens Drive, right Waterloo Road, left onto Cornwall Street, left Pretoria Street returning to either High Street or Melling Link depending on what bus service.

Buses travelling southbound toward Queensgate, Waterloo or Petone, will detour from High Street or Melling link into Pretoria Street, right into Cornwall Street, right into Kings Cres and left into Queens Drive

[PNG, 324 KB]