A young boy was taken to hospital in a critical condition after he was hit by a car in South Auckland this afternoon.

Police were called to the serious crash on Wordsworth Rd at 3.10pm and the child was taken to Middlemore Hospital.

The serious crash unit has been advised, police said.

Stuff reports a silver Honda passenger van was being examined by police after the incident and the road was temporarily closed.

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Karl Vasau, principal of nearby Rowandale School, told Stuff the child was a pupil at his school.

"[The boy] was walking home and ran across Wordsworth Rd and was hit by a car," Vasau said.

"He was able to talk - he was anxious - but he was able to respond to questions from paramedics."

An Auckland Transport spokesperson told Stuff Wordsworth Rd and a number of nearby streets were being investigated for mass action safety improvements.