Driver allegedly caught travelling wrong way on SH1 across Auckland at excessive speeds

A speedster has allegedly been caught travelling faster than 160km/h on the wrong side of the motorway across Auckland overnight.

Police received reports of a northbound vehicle travelling on the wrong side of State Highway 1 near Northcote at 3.15am.

A 53-year-old man is due to appear in North Shore District Court charged with recklessly operating a motor vehicle.

Motorway cameras captured the vehicle driving north on the southbound lane at high speeds near Oteha Valley Rd in Albany.

The driver was allegedly caught speeding on the wrong side of the motorway from Northcote to Pūhoi. Image / Google Maps

Waitematā Senior Sergeant Carl Fowlie said the man drove too fast for police to chase safely and that the “incident could have ended in tragedy”.

“Police units were deployed to the area, but with the vehicle reaching speeds upwards of 160km/h, officers did not pursue.

“Units followed the vehicle at a safe distance from the correct side of the motorway.”

The man allegedly continued to travel about 36km northwards before it struck a barrier near the Pūhoi on-ramp and crashed down a bank.

The uninjured driver was located quickly and taken into custody.

“It is extremely lucky no one was injured or killed as a result of the driver’s dangerous actions.”