Heavy traffic warning for motorists

Clogged roads likely to greet those who are heading out of city today on holiday

Motorists heading out of Auckland today could be slogging it out in heavy traffic in one of the busiest days of the year. Drivers north of Wellington are also being urged to show patience, while the NZ Transport Agency is predicting that roads in holiday hotspots in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel could also become clogged this afternoon.

Minor crashes yesterday brought Auckland traffic to a crawl in some areas, although by late afternoon it was back to typical rush-hour busyness.

“It’s like a normal Wednesday. It’s reasonably busy but nothing out of the ordinary,” an agency spokeswoman said.

One holidaymaker said it had taken her family about an hour to travel from West Auckland to the Bombay Hills.

“The traffic is awful,” she said. “We have managed to get to Rangiriri now but the whole Southern Motorway was a nightmare.”

The woman had seen the aftermath of several minor crashes, including a three-car, nose-to-tail collision near Takanini.

State Highway One north of Wellington was expected to be very busy this morning and early afternoon. Yesterday, motorists faced delays as long as 30 minutes on the usually eight-minute run from Waikanae to Paraparaumu on the Kapiti Coast.

A police spokesman said the sheer number of vehicles was to blame rather than erratic behaviour or crashes.

A crash between a truck and a car yesterday, in which two people were seriously injured, closed SH1 near Seddon, in Marlborough. Diversions were in place for a few hours, causing delays.

Associate transport minister Craig Foss encouraged drivers to “do the right thing and travel safely” over summer.

“The Kiwi road trip, a great holiday tradition, often involves travelling long distances on unfamiliar roads.

“Anyone getting behind the wheel can help keep themselves, their loved ones and other road users safe by following the rules and applying common sense.”

No one wanted to see carnage on the roads, he said.

Automobile Association spokesman Dylan Thomsen said many motorists would be driving on unfamiliar roads.

“That really increases the risks of a crash so the AA is urging everyone to drive to the conditions and stay safe.”

Transport Agency road safety director Ernst Zollner said more cars on the road and tired drivers could add to the risks during the holiday season.

Drivers are advised to avoid travel during the heaviest congestion times and are encouraged to use the agency’s real-time data about travel times.

Road works outside the main centres, barring emergency repairs, have stopped and won’t resume again until the second week of January. Full list of hotspots go to tinyurl.com/z9apfk4