Next level: Hawke's Bay traffic comes humming back

The Te Ara Kahikatea and SH51 roundabout was empty on March 28 when New Zealand was in level 4 lockdown. Photo / Paul Taylor

Traffic volume differences in Hawke's Bay throughout the Covid-19 alert levels have been captured through photography.

Photographer Lynda Forrest captured the difference in levels at the Meeanee and Guppy road intersection and on Meeanee Road. Photo / Lynda Forrest

Photographer Lynda Forrest wanted to capture vehicle changes from level to level in her local neighbourhood to capture a piece of history.

She took two sets of photos in her local neighbourhood: one set at the Guppy Rd and Meeanee Rd intersection, and the other looking down Meeanee Rd.

The photos were all taken on a weekday in the morning.

The Te Ara Kahikatea and SH51 roundabout was empty on March 28 when New Zealand was in level 4 lockdown. Photo / Paul Taylor

The project started after she visited her local corner store during level 4 and noticed the lack of cars.

As a local parent whose children walk to school in the area, she wanted to see the safety difference throughout the levels.

During level 4 it was easy and safe to cross the road but now in level 2 it is much more difficult and dangerous, she said.

A Napier City Council traffic counter in Bay View's State Highway 2 showed that traffic flow went down to 20 per cent of the normal flow when the country went into lockdown in late March.

Statistics New Zealand and Data Ventures information based on cellphone data shows there was a 38 per cent increase in activity in Hawke's Bay in level 3 compared to in lockdown.

Now under level 2 cars have returned to the same round about. Photo / Paul Taylor