Take rest breaks, Labour weekend trippers told

Roadworks and a miserable weather outlook have prompted a plea from police for motorists to take adequate rest breaks on long trips this Labour weekend.

As MetService forecasters warn of unsettled and stormy weather for much of the weekend, particularly on Sunday and Monday in the North Island, national road policing manager Superintendent Dave Cliff fears complications from a proliferation of roadworks in Auckland and elsewhere.

He said many motorists would have become unaccustomed to driving long distances in the four months since the last public holiday, Queen's Birthday Weekend, and urged them to ensure they were well-rested before setting off to holiday destinations.

"People are feeling tired from big hours worked, they are not used to driving long distances, so they should make sure they don't head off from 10 hours of work and expect to drive for four or five hours without a rest."

Mr Cliff said that although the road toll was running lower than at this time last year, police were concerned at the "fickle" nature of the statistics, particularly as the number of fatal crashes had risen.

Between January 1 and Tuesday this week, 307 people were killed on the country's roads - down from 324 for the same period last year.

But there have been 280 fatal crashes since January 1, compared with 264 at this time last year, including a large number in which pedestrians were killed.

Despite the challenges, Mr Cliff remained hopeful of an even better result than last Labour weekend, when the road toll of three deaths equalled the lowest since 1977.

MetService forecaster Oliver Druce warned of "very unsettled and quite stormy" weather.

Although the South Island would bear the brunt tomorrow of a complex combination of low-pressure systems, the bad weather was likely to cover the whole country on Sunday and Monday.

"It looks pretty dreadful over New Zealand with lots of heavy rain," Mr Druce said.

He said North Island drivers heading home on Monday were likely to be in for a stormy trip.

"They should definitely consider the stay-at-home option."

HEADING OUT OF AUCKLAND

Northbound:

Transit NZ suggests motorists consider the alternative route north along State Highway 16 to Wellsford "to enjoy less stressful driving in potentially wet weather".

A motorcycle patrol will monitor traffic on State Highway 1 and Transit says motorists should look out for road signs directing them to SH16 when queues started building.

Those staying on SH1 should take care past roadworks on the Puhoi side of Johnstones Hill, where a 60km/h speed restriction is in force, and then travelling up Schedewys Hill, where a passing lane has been closed while the road is widened.

A slip has closed part of the northbound shoulder of Pohuehue Viaduct.

Motorists returning home on SH16 should take care near J Farmer Rd, towards the Wellsford end of the road, where a slip has closed a section of its southbound shoulder.

To Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty:

An eastbound passing lane will be closed on the notorious State Highway 2 near Bell Rd, east of Mangatawhiri, this afternoon to improve expected heavy traffic flows. Two westbound lanes will be shut for the homeward journey from noon on Monday.

But longer new passing lanes along 2.7km of Heaven Straight east of Maramarua will be available to holiday traffic, after the completion yesterday of a long-delayed $3.2 million construction project.

The eastbound and westbound passing lanes overlap for about 1km of the straight, between Heaven and McWatt Rd, where they are separated by a wire-rope median barrier and Waikato road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman believes they will go a long way towards reducing driver-frustration.

Motorists heading to the Coromandel Peninsula are advised to consider a detour towards Paeroa, to ease congestion on the one-lane Kopu Bridge.

To Turangi:

Motorists travelling between Taupo and Turangi should expect delays around Ohaumahanga Pt, where traffic signals are controlling a 40m section restricted to one lane because of ground instability.

From Wellington:

Motorists should look out for speed restrictions around roadworks on the Kapiti coast. Some northbound passing lanes will also be closed.

Staying around Auckland:

Train passengers will be shuttled by buses between Papakura and Otahuhu, and between New Lynn and Waitakere, to allow rail track work.