Warnings of heavy congestion as holidaymakers head home after Waitangi weekend

Monday, 8 February 2021

Traffic heading in the direction of Auckland is becoming busy as motorists head home from their Waitangi weekend holidays.

On Monday afternoon, congestion was building around Te Hana, Wellsford and Warkworth as people travelled home from Northland.

South of the city, State Highway One from Bombay through to Drury was picking up, with heavier traffic further south around Mangatawhiri and Maramarua.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said traffic southbound between Puhoi and Wellsford was expected to be heavy until 8pm.

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Northbound from Bombay to Manukau was expected to be heavy until around 6pm but remain busy until after 9pm.

Traffic heading back into Wellington was also expected to be heavy.

The transport agency warned drivers State Highway would be heaviest between Peka Peka and Otaki from 11am until 5pm, and heaviest at Remutaka Hill between Wellington and Featherston from 10.30am until 6.15pm.

Traffic would remain busy until at least 8pm, it said.

The holiday road toll remains at two after two fatal crashes on Sunday.

The first crash occurred just before 9am when two vehicles crashed on Trig Rd in West Auckland’s Whenuapai. A person died at the scene.

The second crash, involving three motorcycles, occurred on State Highway 52, near Napier.

One person died, and two others were injured.