Covid 19 coronavirus: Police reveal checkpoint trips and lockdown breaches

Long queues formed on State Highway 1 at Mercer at the southernmost checkpoint after Auckland went into alert level 3 lockdown on midnight on Sunday. Photo / Dean Purcell

Police have turned around one in 10 vehicles at the checkpoints set up around Auckland during the first 24 hours of lockdown.

As Auckland plunged into a snap alert level 3 lockdown at midnight on Sunday, 11 checkpoints were set up at the northern and southern borders on major roads leading in and out of the region.

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At level 3 people can only travel within Auckland locally, and for allowed reasons such as going to work, for shopping or to get exercise.

People can travel to other regions but must have an exemption.

Between midnight on Sunday and 4pm yesterday police processed 14,142 vehicles through these checkpoints.

At the southern checkpoints, of the 8607 vehicles which came through, 779
were turned away.

At the northern checkpoints of the 5,535 vehicles which came through, 715
were turned away.

‌

Assistant commissioner Richard Chambers said there had been only one incident where a person failed to stop, at the Mercer Checkpoint on State Highway 1.

"They were arrested sometime later when they stopped in Hamilton," he said.

"The 26-year-old is currently assisting police with our inquiries and we cannot rule out the possibility of charges being laid.

"Outside of this, the community has been overall understanding and co-operative.

"We continue to remind our community to make sure they have the correct documentation or if required, have applied for an exemption to enter, leave or drive through Auckland."

Police said initially motorists could expect a graduated response on the first day of checkpoints coming into effect.

The focus was on engaging with and educating motorists at the checkpoints about travel restrictions.

Those stopped would be asked about their reason for travel, and to provide proof of an exemption.

Both days have seen a 5km-long queue snaking back to Pokeno from the roadblock at Mercer as police question every driver.

At the northern end confusion over the uppermost boundary meant some Kaipara district residents were prevented from leaving their townships by police even though the Northland region was in the less restrictive alert level 2.

That led to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern clarifying the boundaries were unchanged from the August Auckland lockdown and saw police reposition their checkpoints.

Even so this morning, Port Waikato found itself effectively cut off with a checkpoint roadblock forcing locals to travel on a precarious single lane shingle road to reach their nearest supermarket, petrol station and medical centre 90km away in Te Kauwhata.

Up until yesterday afternoon they could travel to nearby Tuakau for supplies.

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