Auckland motorway crash: Head-on collision causes early morning closure

A serious crash on the southern motorway, between Te Irirangi Drive and Redoubt Rd, was reported early this morning. Image / Waka Kotahi NZTA

At least one person had to be cut out of a vehicle involved in a head-on collision on Auckland's Southern Motorway in the early hours of this morning.

Emergency services were called to the serious crash on State Highway 1, between Te Irirangi Drive and Redoubt Rd, shortly before 4.30am.

A northern fire communications spokesman told the Herald they were called to a head-on crash involving two vehicles on the south-bound lanes.

The full circumstances of the collision are not yet known, but Fire and Emergency NZ confirmed two cars collided head-on, on the motorway.

He confirmed the incident happened just after the Te Irirangi Drive off-ramp and resulted in one person being trapped inside one car.

"They had to be extricated. And one car was upside down," the spokesman said.

Police confirmed one person suffered moderate to serious injuries in the incident.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency alerted motorists of the situation at 4.18am, saying on its website that a serious incident had occurred between that stretch of the motorway.

"Please delay your journey or use an alternative route."

Overhead motorway signs on the Northwestern Motorway also warned motorists of a serious incident near Te Irirangi Drive just after 4.30am.

The road has since been reopened.