Labour Weekend looking fine on the North Island east coast

Motorists are being warned to expect delays this Labour Weekend at hotspots like Warkworth. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Labour Weekend is shaping up as a cracker on the east coast of the North Island, but wherever you are heading on the road the message from the police is to drive safely.

Last year, three people died on the roads at Labour Weekend. So far in 2017, 301 people have been killed on the roads compared to 255 at the same time last year.

National Policing Manager Superintendent Steve Greally urged motorists to drive safely this holiday weekend and avoid another tragic death on our roads.

He said holiday weekends see increased numbers of vehicles travelling on the road during a concentrated period of time, increasing the collective crash risk.

"The message to all drivers is simple - drive to the conditions, free from impairment and make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained," Greally said.

The New Zealand Transport Agency is delivering the same message to motorists and come up with a list of hotspots at www.nzta.govt.nz/hotspots.

"If you can travel outside of these busiest times it will help reduce your chances of being stuck in a queue and help keep traffic moving. If you do have to travel then, please allow plenty of time to get to your destination," says Harry Wilson, the Transport Agency's Safety Director.

One of the biggest pinch points is on State Highway 1 between Puhoi and Kawakawa, and at Warkworth. Traffic will start building on Friday afternoon and continue through until Saturday morning as people head away. It will build again on Monday from mid-morning as everyone heads home.

It's also particularly busy heading south out of Auckland on SH1 from midday on Friday until around 8pm and then again on Saturday from about 9am. Heading north to Auckland on Monday, traffic gets busy from lunchtime through until around 7pm.

The State Highway 1 and State Highway 2 Interchange from Coromandel can also get congested.

MetService says the long weekend is looking more unsettled than today and tomorrow, especially in the west and south, but eastern areas north of Marlborough are looking mostly fine and mild.

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Traffic hotspots

Auckland
SH1 - Takanini (South of Auckland)
SH2 - Maramarua (East of SH1/SH2 Interchange)
SH1 - between Puhoi and Wellsford
Bay of Plenty
SH29 - Kaimai (West of Tauranga)
SH2 - between Paeroa and Tauranga
Canterbury
SH73 - Arthur's Pass
SH1 - Waimakariri
SH1 - between Ashburton and Christchurch
SH7 - Lewis Pass
SH1 - Waipara (North of Christchurch)
Manawatu-Wanganui
SH2 - Norsewood between Hastings and Woodville SH3
SH1 - between Taihape and Waiouru
Marlborough-Tasman
SH6 - between Nelson and Blenheim
Napier
SH5 - Te Pohue (North of Napier)
Northland
SH1 - Kawakawa (South of Paihia/Bay of Islands)
SH1 - Whangarei
Otago
SH6 - Queenstown
Waikato
SH1 - Taupiri (North of Hamilton)
SH1 - Karapiro (South of Cambridge)
Wellington
SH2 - Rimutaka Hill between Wellington and Featherston
SH1 - Kapiti Coast