The Hawke’s Bay Expressway south of Hastings was closed for several hours and four people were injured after a serious Monday-morning crash.
Emergency services were called about 8.46am to the two-vehicle crash near the roundabout intersection of State Highway 2 (Maraekakaho Rd) and Longlands Rd.
A police statement said the Serious Crash Unit had been advised.
A St John spokesman said staff responded with four ambulances, one manager and one rapid response vehicle.
Four people were taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital, one in a critical condition and three in a serious condition.
A Te Whatu Ora Hawke’s Bay spokeswoman said a woman in her 60s was in a critical condition and a man in his 70s was in a serious condition at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.
She said a man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s were both stable.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said in a social media post that the Hawke’s Bay Expressway had reopened at 2.10pm after it was closed between the intersections with Flaxmere Avenue and Longlands Rd.
Later in the day one person was understood to have received minor injuries and a truck partially blocked Puketitiri Rd, west of Napier, after a crash reported at 3.39pm. No significant injuries were reported from a two-vehicle crash reported at 2.18pm near the intersection of Munroe and Sale streets, Napier.
Hastings councillor Malcolm Dixon retires after 12 years to spend more time with family.