Auckland traffic at a crawl

Traffic has slowed to a crawl north of Auckland this morning as holidaymakers head out of town for Easter.

Northbound traffic on State Highway 1 is backed up for several kilometres at the toll road tunnels at Puhoi and the approaches to Warkworth and Wellsford.

Police northern communications spokesman Inspector Matt Sillars said "every man and his dog" was travelling.

"You're not going to stop holiday traffic, unfortunately. I thought everyone would have travelled last night, but clearly not."

Police have urged drivers to be patient, and have advised motorists to consider SH16 as an alternative route.

The Easter holiday traffic was also causing congestion north of Wellington.

Inspector Chris Tate of police central communications said traffic on SH1 was "nose to tail" for several kilometres around the traffic lights at Paraparumu.

"It's a public holiday, everybody wants to leave. There's a hell of a lot of caravans," he said.

Mr Tate said there had been no serious incidents on the roads so far.

Police are urging drivers to take care, rest up before driving and be patient on the roads over the long holiday weekend.

 

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