Easter traffic slower than normal

North of Auckland, quite heavy traffic backed up into the Johnstone's Hill Tunnel. File photo / NZ Herald

Day-trippers heading out of Auckland should expect a slower than normal journey.

Traffic is congested at the usual spots north of the city, but it's not as bad as yesterday.

The Transport Agency says traffic is heavy at the Johnstone's Hill Tunnels, Puhoi and also at Warkworth and Matakana.

Outside of Auckland things are looking pretty good, steady flow of traffic and no serious crashes causing any delays to motorists.

North of Auckland, quite heavy traffic backed up into the Johnstone's Hill Tunnel.

SH1 between Orewa and Warkworth northbound is experiencing heavy traffic with queues stretching back to around 6km.

NZ Transport Agency advises avoiding this area or to expect delays in your journey.

Most of the traffic is heading towards Matakana, with a tailback of around 4km.

The rest of the North Island is pretty quiet.

South of Auckland, Manukau through to Takanini is standard Saturday traffic.

Heavy patches of traffic in Wellington, heading towards Wanaka.

Queues of traffic for the Warbirds Show in Wanaka, with motorists experiencing tailbacks going in both directions to the airport.

SH 12 Waitaheke Rd to Quarry Rd in Northland is experiencing delays due to road works.

The NZTA's road safety director Ernst Zollner said that 279,000 more vehicles on the country's roads compared with a year ago increased the potential risks for drivers.

They said it was shaping up to be the busiest Easter ever on New Zealand roads.

The holiday road toll stands at three with 15 people injured within 24 hours of the long weekend.

Last night a 21-year-old man on a longboard, a longer version of a skateboard, died when he was hit by a car on the Kapiti Coast. He was boarding a long, winding road when he was hit.

In another fatal accident, the sole occupant of a vehicle died in Methven, near Christchurch, yesterday morning.

The vehicle left the road and crashed into a tree in a rest area on SH 77.

Police were trying to establish the cause of the crash and the identity of the driver yesterday.

In another fatal accident, a woman aged 60 died when a van carrying seven tourists crashed on the Luggate-Cromwell Rd in Central Otago just after midday yesterday.

The van ended up down a bank after leaving the highway just past a tight corner at Queensbury.

Three ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and two rescue helicopters were sent to the accident site and transported the remaining passengers to hospital.

Emergency services worked to free two of those injured from the van, though the remaining occupants were able to remove themselves.

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