Emergency services at two Northland crashes - one with motorcyclist badly hurt

Northland's emergency services are dealing with two crashes in the region this afternoon, with one leaving a motorcyclist with serious injuries after colliding with a school bus. Photo / File

Northland emergency services are dealing with two crashes, with one involving a school bus and motorbike that left the motorcyclist with serious injuries.

Police were notified of a crash between a motorbike and bus on State Highway 1 near Te Kao, in the Far North, around 2.30pm. The motorcyclist has sustained serious injuries in the crash.

The rider of the Harley Davidson was initially deemed to be in a critical condition but that was later revised to serious, meaning his injuries were not life threatening.

Emergency services remain at the scene, with the motorcyclist airlifted to Whangārei Hospital at 3.30pm.

There were no children at the time on the 20-seater bus, which was on its way to do a school pick-up.

Police, St John Ambulance, Houhora Fire Brigade and the Northland Rescue Helicopter responded.

No further injuries have been reported at this stage and it is unclear if the bus had any children on it.

Police are also responding to a single vehicle crash on Whangārei Heads Rd outside the cruising club at Parua Bay.

The crash was reported to Police after 2pm and the vehicle has rolled down a bank.

Emergency services are at the scene working to remove the vehicle from down the bank.

A section of Whangārei Heads Road will be closed briefly to enable the vehicle to be removed.No serious injuries have been reported from the scene at this stage.

No further details are available at this time.

The Te Kao crash is the second in two months involving a school bus in the Far North.

Last month 29-year-old Kaikohe man Quinton Hamilton crashed into a school bus on Matawaia-Maromaku Rd, south of Kawakawa, after fleeing from police who had initially tried to stop the vehicle due to its speed. There were no children on the bus at the time, and Hamilton was arrested after abandoning the vehicle and trying to escape on foot.