Heavy traffic clogs roads north

Heavy traffic is clogging roads north of Auckland as people try to get out of the city for the three-day weekend.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said morning traffic was heavy on State Highway 1 north of Auckland, near Warkworth.

The queue of slow-moving traffic was 7km long.

Motorists were advised to get past traditional holiday congestion areas by using SH16 as an alternative route to Wellsford and further north.

Agency spokesman Ewart Barnsley said motorists were being kept up to date by electronic roadside messages.

The long weekend also marked the introduction of volunteer surf lifesaving patrols on most city beaches.

During the week, beaches were patrolled by paid lifeguards but during the weekend volunteer lifeguards looked after the beaches.

- NZPA