Bethlehem barrier 'demolished' in crash

Repairs were being made on the centre crash barrier after a car crash early this morning.

UPDATED 1.48pm: Work being done on about 150 metres of cable barrier wiped out by a car this morning has been completed.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said Tauranga To Bethlehem traffic had been reduced to one lane while the barriers were repaired, which had now been resolved.

EARLIER 7.42am: About 150 metres of cable barrier has been wiped out in a crash which forced the closure of a major Tauranga arterial route overnight.

Emergency services were called to State Highway 2 on the city side of Bethlehem at 2am after a car travelling north crashed into the barrier and sheared a section of it off.

The driver was found sitting outside his car when firefighters arrived, senior station officer Phil Price said.

The driver suffered moderate injuries and the car was "a bit of a write-off", Mr Price said.

"The car had been heading north towards Waihi when it struck the barrier and took out about 150m of barrier. It demolished it."

The section of highway was closed shortly before being reopened to one lane as emergency services worked to clear the mess.