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Northern Advocate

Easter Weekend: Extra busy traffic expected this weekend, summer weather forecast for some

4 minutes to read
It's a mixed bag of weather this weekend across the country. Photo / File

It's a mixed bag of weather this weekend across the country. Photo / File

Michael Neilson
By:

Political reporter, NZ Herald

The east coast of the country is the place to be over the Easter Weekend, with one lucky spot set to hit a summery 27C on Sunday.

And with last year's Easter travel cancelled due to the nationwide Covid-19 level 4 lockdown, roads this weekend are expected to be extra busy.

MetService forecaster Sonja Cooper said Good Friday should start off relatively fine for the upper North Island, with a southerly change creeping up the country, bringing slightly cooler-than-average temperatures.

Similar conditions were in store for Saturday before a northwest flow arrived on Sunday, bringing buckets of rain to the South Island's West Coast but sunshine and warm conditions to the east.

Kaikōura is looking the pick of the bunch currently, with a balmy high of 27C on Sunday, and slightly cooler elsewhere on the east coast.

The North Island's east coast should hover around the mid 20s over Sunday and Monday, with the Coromandel, Auckland and Northland all around the low 20s.

Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency is predicting an extra busy Easter on the roads this year after last year's lockdown disruptions.

"Please be patient when driving this Easter, so everyone can relax and enjoy their holiday," Auckland Operations Manager Rua Pani said.

The agency encourages people to use the online journey planner tool which shows predicted traffic conditions for popular routes in travel hotspots during the Easter period, based on travel patterns from previous years.

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The roads around Northland are likely to be busy especially on State Highway 1 through Puhoi between 2.30pm and 5.15pm on Thursday, and between 9.15am and 3.15pm on Friday.

Returning on Monday, the busiest times will be between 10am and 4.30pm.

For those heading south from Auckland through Manukau on SH1, the busiest times are between 2pm and 6pm on Thursday, and between 10am and 2pm on Friday.

Returning on Monday, the motorway is expected to be busiest from 1pm to 5pm.

"Congestion and delays are inevitable in peak times, but if everyone leaves plenty of time for their journey, drives to the conditions and plans ahead before leaving home, the worst of the frustrations can be eased and everyone can concentrate on arriving safely at their destination," Pani said.

People should also check their vehicles are safe to drive, adjust to the conditions, keep safe following distances, and take regular breaks.

Meanwhile, Auckland's rail network will be closed from Friday until Monday as KiwiRail carries out major upgrade work.

Buses will replace trains on all lines from the first service on Friday to the end of service on Monday.

Chief Operating Officer Todd Moyle said the Easter break gave them a good chance to get moving on their $1 billion suite of projects over the next four years to support the expected growth in passenger and freight traffic, and the City Rail Link.

"Longer periods of access to the network, like the four-day Easter weekend are crucial for works to bring the network up to a modern standard and to build new infrastructure to boost the network's capacity.

KiwiRail teams will continue building a third rail line, with upgrades under way at Westfield and Wiri Junctions.

Work will also continue to extend the electrified network from Papakura to Pukekohe.

Elsewhere lines will be closed for sleeper replacement, drainage improvements, track and signalling work, along with City Rail Link works at Mt Eden Station continuing to progress.