SkyCity fire: Road closures, bus services disrupted

Focus Live: Firefighters continue to battle the New Zealand International Convention Centre inferno

Traffic in Auckland's CBD is gridlocked after main roads and motorway onramps were blocked because of a huge fire at SkyCity Convention Centre.

New Zealand Transport Agency urged motorists to avoid the CBD or expect significant delays. As well as heavily congested and closed roads, bus services are also severely impacted.

Parts of Wellesley St, Nelson St and Hobson St are closed so fire engines can get close to the fire, which began about 1pm.

Multiple motorway ramps were also closed, including the Cook Street off-ramp, Fanshawe St off-ramp, and the Hobson St on-ramp to State Highway 1 and State Highway 16 before reopening.

The Nelson St off-ramps into the central city were also closed temporarily.

CITY CENTRE FIRE - ROADS CLOSED - UPDATE 4:50PM
Roads remain closed, please continue to avoid Hobson St. Use Fanshawe St to travel north and use the Port to travel south. Expect continued delays. ^AAhttps://t.co/fmJ4B56hAG

— Auckland Transport (@AklTransport) October 22, 2019

AT staff have been deployed across the city to redirect commuters to temporary bus stops.

An AT spokesman said the main bus service affected is the Northern Express services.

Due to a fire at SkyCity, there are significant road closures, with bus services being diverted. Find out about these diversions on our website. Please note, these are correct at the time of posting and may change as the situation develops: https://t.co/0bQTGUGA5G pic.twitter.com/ZnB5qy2oV9

— Auckland Transport (@AklTransport) October 22, 2019

CITY CENTRE FIRE - ROADS CLOSED - UPDATE 5:30PM
Fanshawe St has now been closed eastbound between Nelson St and Hobson St . Avoid this area or expect delays and diversions. ^AA pic.twitter.com/HMZ1m6uGgg

— Auckland Transport (@AklTransport) October 22, 2019