People injured after multi-vehicle crash blocked lanes on Auckland’s Southern Motorway

Several lanes were blocked and multiple people were injured after a multi-vehicle crash on Auckland’s Southern Motorway this morning.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said the accident on the northbound carriageway on State Highway 1 between Princes St and Mt Wellington had blocked two lanes and partially obstructed a third.

“Pass the scene with extreme caution and expect delays,” NZTA said.

The accident was cleared by 11am, with traffic flowing in all lanes.

Earlier, police said emergency services were attending a multi-vehicle accident.

“The crash, on State Highway 1 near the northbound Princes St off-ramp, was reported to police at around 9.30am.”

Multiple people have been taken to hospital with moderate injuries.

“The Princes St on-ramp is currently closed,” police said.

Shortly after the accident, Google Maps showed traffic backed up more than 4km from Princes St East to south of the East Tāmaki Rd off-ramp.

Multiple people are injured after a crash near the Mt Wellington turnoff.

Photos taken from the scene showed merging traffic inching past the crash.

Another showed a badly damaged car and truck across a centre lane on the motorway.

It comes as six people died in six separate accidents last weekend.

Yesterday afternoon, a crash killed a person in Waiohau, Bay of Plenty, while another person died in an accident on State Highway 43 in Stratford earlier that morning.

Also on Sunday morning, one person died following a two-vehicle crash on Auckland’s Southern Motorway near Onehunga.

In Southland, two people died following two separate crashes, while another died in a Hamilton crash on Saturday night.

Traffic backed up from a crash on Auckland's Southern Motorway. Photo / Google Maps

Separately, two trucks collided outside the North Island town of Levin overnight, closing State Highway 57 for at least six hours.

The crash happened on Arapaepae Rd, which bypasses the town, and was reported at around 2.30am today.

Police said the Serious Crash Unit had been advised and the road was expected to be closed until at least 9am.

“Motorists are advised to allocate extra time for diversions if travelling the route this morning,” police said in a statement.