Hawke's Bay crashes: One seriously injured as three crashes in two hours block major roads

State Highway 51 was closed through Awatoto after a car and van collided. Photo / Paul Taylor

Two people were injured, one seriously, after three separate crashes blocked traffic on major Hawke's Bay roads on Thursday.

The crashes began about 11.20am when a car and van collided on State Highway 51 near the Waitangi Rd intersection.

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A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said the Napier fire brigade sent two trucks and removed one person from a vehicle.

A St John ambulance spokesman said one person, a female in her 60s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

At 4pm on Thursday a Hawke's Bay DHB spokeswoman said the woman was in a stable condition.

SH51 was blocked and diversions were in place before the southbound lane towards Clive reopened at midday and the road fully reopened about 1pm.

A lane of the Hawke's Bay Expressway, State Highway 2, between the Meeanee off-ramp and the SH50 and Pakowhai Rd intersection was also closed about noon when a truck crashed into the median barrier.

Traffic management was put in place by the council.

A police spokeswoman said at 1.30pm the truck had been removed but the southbound lane was still closed as a diesel spill from the crash was being cleaned.

A third crash, at 1.15pm on Maraekakaho Rd, between York Rd and Heathcote Rd, involved three cars.

A police spokeswoman said one person was trapped in the car and a lane of the road was blocked.

Traffic was managed by the council and the road was fully reopened about 2.05pm, a police spokeswoman said.

A St John ambulance spokesman said that one person, a male in his 60s, had been taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital at 2pm with moderate injuries.

At 4pm on Thursday the DHB spokeswoman said the man was in a stable condition.